Teenagers Are Pushing Their Limits On NCS This Summer…. Spaces Still Available!

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What are you doing this Summer? Over 6000 young people across England have already dedicated their summer to NCS with EFL Trust, but luckily there are still spaces available!

The 2-4 week programme is designed to help 16-17 year olds improve their confidence, learn new skills and discover how they can create real change in the community. Across the country teens have already started their NCS journey, challenging themselves through outdoor activities such as rock climbing and canoeing.

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Jack Hinson, 16 from Sheffield who is currently on NCS with Sheffield Wednesday said; “I’ve only been at NCS for a week but I’ve already made so many new friends, we’re all really enjoying the opportunity of independent living and the outdoor activities like archery and gyhll scrambling have been amazing. This is definitely the best way for me to spend my summer, I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Each teenager will volunteer 30 hours of their time to the social action project, meaning over 180,000 hours’ worth of time dedicated to good causes in local communities.

Dominik Stingas Packzo, EFL Trust commented: “Summer is well underway and we’re seeing huge potential in this year’s teenagers. Everyone is getting along so well, they’re getting stuck into the challenges we’ve set them and they’ve been telling us they can’t wait to start learning about how to create their own social action projects.”

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He continues: “There are still spaces available for teenagers in Yorkshire and Humber to sign up. It’s a chance to escape, take on new challenges and make new friends with people they wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to meet. Parents give such amazing feedback in the change of confidence they see in their teens, it really is an opportunity not to be missed!”

An experience to change your life and prepare you for your future is only minutes away! Click here now!

Say yes to an amazing Summer you’ll never forget. To find out more about NCS visit www.ncsefltrust.co.uk

Ten Thousand Boxes Of Free Cereal Hit Ewood!

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Ten thousand boxes of cereal were given away to local good causes on an eventful morning at Ewood Park!

A lorry load of breakfast goodies arrived at the stadium thanks to His Church charity, who teamed up with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust to make the donation to 50 schools and community organisations from the local area.His Church 640x360

All the groups attending went home well stocked for morning provisions for weeks to come, after also getting chance to jump aboard His Church’s tour bus, meet Rover The Dog, undertake a stadium tour and play football at the Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre.

The event was the first to take place as part of His Church’s brand new project for 2016 – ‘Team Up to Be Champions, Schools Breakfasts For Winners’.

In conjunction with football club community foundations and local councils, the project aims to improve educational attainment and social inclusion through the provision of healthy, good quality breakfast cereal to school breakfast clubs and families.

This project has been whole-heartedly embraced by football clubs who are themselves fully committed to investing in and connecting with their local communities, through their foundations and community trusts.

His Church Charity specialise in providing robustly secure, ethical, sustainable solutions for food, clothes and supplies companies and in doing so are able to meet the needs of underprivileged and vulnerable people in the UK and abroad.

David Dunwell from Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, who coordinated the event, explained:

“We always want to undertake good work for our local community, and this huge donation fitted the bill perfectly.

“It was our pleasure to welcome the enthusiastic team from His Church and also to see how much the children, teachers and volunteers enjoyed the whole event.

“I don’t think any of us have ever seen so many boxes of Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes in one place before. If any store managers from local supermarkets were passing, I’m sure that they’d have been envious at the value of the stock that came the way of all the worthy recipients at the event.”

Pan Ability Champions Meet Their First Team Manager

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Last month, Blackpool FC’s Community Trust Pan Ability squad met first team manager Gary Bowyer after a successful year of Pan Ability football.

Blackpool FC Community Trust Pan Ability programme gives opportunities to young people with a number of disabilities and special needs to engage in fun football sessions whilst keeping them active at the same time. All of the participants who play for the Pan-Ability team have various disabilities such as Deaf, Cerebral Palsy, MLD and SLD.

The team have won eight trophies for the trust in the last twelve months which hasn’t gone unrecognised by the newly appointed first team manager. Bowyer was quick to congratulate them on their triumphant year, by meeting them pitch-side to talk about their success and future plans.

“It was really good to meet the new manager and to see that he recognises our great success as a team ” Richard Wilkinson (Forward).”

We use the power of sport to help tackle all forms of disadvantage and promote equality. Our community trusts exist at the very heart of 72 diverse communities and bring people together from all walks of life.

Exciting Opportunity for Young Disabled People and Their Carers in Plymouth

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Young disabled people in Plymouth will get a fantastic new opportunity this Summer thanks to Plymouth Argyle Community Trust. The Trust are delivering special short break sessions catered to young people with a disability. As well as giving young people the chance to socialise whilst improving upon their skills, the sessions will also give carers a break from their daily work.

Every Monday and Tuesday from 9am – Midday, Argyle’s Short Breaks will involve fun-filled football sessions, stadium tours, smoothie making, table tennis, wii fit activities, games consoles and many more fun activities.

Working closely in partnership with Plymouth City Council, the Trust aims to give carers respite but to also offer new opportunities to young people they may never have experienced in the past.

Each day sees the youngsters taking part in fun-filled sport sessions, aimed at improving their basic skills whilst making new friends. The courses, full of mini-games and technique workshops, sees each participant work with Argyle coaches, giving them a unique experience of what it is like to be a professional ‘Pilgrim’.

To compliment practical sport sessions, each participant takes part in exciting workshops aimed at improving their understanding of both the game, as well as the importance of leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Skills that will be introduced include smoothie making classes, kit design and basic first aid tips.

Find out more by contacting the Health & Disability Officer Josh Grant on 01752 562561 ext.4 or email [email protected]

Nottingham County FITC Make Prominent New Mental Health Signing

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Notts County FITC are at the frontline of  improving the mental health of men and women from Nottingham. FITC deliver numerous projects which have successfully improved the mental health of 100s of people across the county of Nottingham.  County are looking to increase this even more with the addition of an exciting new “signing” to the team which will add significant skill and experience.

Dr Nigel Plant has recently joined Notts County FC Football in the Community (FITC) since his retirement as Associate Professor teaching Mental Health Nursing at the University of Nottingham. A life-long Notts County FC fan and mental health specialist, Nigel has joined former Notts County FC manager and captain, Ian Richardson to work part-time on FITC’s mental health projects, offering additional support.  He commented “I believe these projects provide a unique service in a non-clinical environment, and reach out to members of the public who may be put off from seeking assistance from more formal and assessment-based services”.

FITC delivers six community mental health projects in total, including two very different projects for men and women, using multi-sports and physical activity, while achieving positive, long-term benefits for participants.

The men’s project “On the Ball” was designed nine years ago in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust (the local NHS mental health trust), has received several awards and is recognised as an example of national best practice among professional football clubs. The “Notts County” model has developed such a wide-reaching reputation that the team have received visits from mental health workers from Norway and Iceland in the last few months.

The project uses football to build team working, communication and social skills. It enables participants to train in a structured football environment with high quality staff. Participants benefit from a healthier lifestyle and regular activity, giving them more energy and helping them feel more positive. The project includes half-time team talks based on topical, high profile football stories, which encourage participants to open up and discuss issues such as depression, anger management, communication and team working, among others. In this way, participants benefit from positive mental health promotion in a non-clinical environment.

Meanwhile, the women’s project “Right Mind” was introduced 18 months ago and is a multi-sports and social project, which has been a success from the outset. Sessions are based around exercise which participants select from a menu of activities. These are delivered by male and female coaches in a relaxed, supportive environment. The main focus is ensuring everyone has fun by playing a range of sports and taking part in different physical activities. Participants make new friends and have the opportunity to socialise at the end of sessions.

“Right Mind” participant Kat Turner: “I feel like I am much more stable at home, it gets me up in the morning and out of the house meeting other people. I just feel it’s helping my all round mental and physical health. I’ve been losing wight ad thinking about what I eat more, and it encourages me to do things for myself which I probably wouldn’t have been motivated to do. So it’s definitely helping my confidence and motivation”.

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Dr Alan Pringle, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham (UoN) and expert on the impact of professional football on mental health: “Although many excellent professional football community mental health schemes are in existence. The longevity of the Notts County FITC mental health schemes set them apart from the others”.

Crawley Old Girls Get Into Coaching

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Two ladies from Crawley who’ve stood on the side lines for years have just qualified as FA level One coaches.

Carol Bates and Maria Iula Harris are from a generation of women that missed the female football revolution but thanks to the EFL Trust FFD programme they’ve taken up the sport later in life. They were introduced to football by Crawley Town’s COGS (Crawley Old Girls Initiative), which was developed specifically for older ladies, who have an interest and passion for football, but who may not have had the opportunity to participate before. In addition, the ladies have used their newly developed skills recently to help deliver a session to the rest of the COGS ladies, supporting grassroots football.

Nicol Mererdith from the EFL Trust commented: “It’s really fantastic that the COGS ladies have had this opportunity. Our FFD programme has certainly been a catalyst for women now taking the level 1 award. It’s evident that this will further develop the workforce, and create role models for future generations”.

Participant Carol Bates: “It was great to have the opportunity to take the FA Level 1 coaching course locally, at Crawley Town FC. As a local youth Club Secretary I usually only get involved with all the paperwork but it certainly gave me a good insight into how much work coaches put in when they coach our children. Having been on the sidelines as a parent for over 10 years it gave me a much greater understanding of planning sessions and what goes into running them. It’s given me a great deal of information to take on board and now I’m helping run a new U11s girls’ team, for our club Crawley United, I’ll be putting it into practice too!”

Maria Iula Harris commented: “I joined COGS just over a year ago for a bit of fun with some friends. Little did I realise that Thursday nights would become my favourite night of the week where I would get to don my football boots! Then, after only a year, I as so inspired that I decided to become a Level 1 football coach, which I passed successfully. I will be looking to start an U8 girls football team in September. I thank my lucky stars that I was given the opportunity to join a team like COGS and now I ill hopefully be inspiring young girls to take up the great game of football.”

The grant of £2000 from Crawley Town FC and the FA Community Shield Fund, allowed six young people as part of the Crawley Town Scholarship Fund to complete the FA Level 1 Award in Coaching at the Checkatrade.com Stadium. Delivered by Sussex County FA, attendees worked on various different modules to prepare them for coaching activity with the Community Foundation.

From Rejection to International Honours

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Joe Kenny is an England International, degree student, and a great example of how the EFL Trust Futsal programme can make a difference to people’s lives.

Joe was released by Leeds United aged 15 and in his own words ‘just mucked about at school.’ He now has 7 England Futsal caps to his name, is one of the rising stars of the game and is currently studying for a degree at Loughborough University. However, as he explains not too many years ago it appeared his life was heading in a different direction.

“I’d been with the Leeds United Academy since I was 9. At 15 I was released and it was devastating at the time.  I’m a Leeds fan and I was living the dream but it just didn’t work out.  What made things worse was that I’d just messed about a bit at school and didn’t get the grades. Basically school did not feel relevant to me. I’m into football, I love playing and sitting in the school classroom I wasn’t particularly motivated and I as a result just didn’t do that well.  So my qualifications aren’t great and my football dreams are seem like they are over and I was just left wondering what on earth do I do next.”

“Then I saw the EFL Trust Futsal and Education Programme which offered me a lifeline. It meant I could still continue to play and represent Leeds, Importantly the course would give me a qualification, a BTEC in Sport and Active Leisure, which could open up a path into further education or employment.”

“The EFL Trust Futsal programme was great for me. It’s different from school and I just felt motivated to learn. You’re studying at a professional football club, the one I’d supported since I was a toddler.  You learn using an online platform but you’ve got lots of support. Then of course you get to pull on that club shirt and represent your team against other professional clubs.  For me it opened up a path into the higher levels of Futsal, regional development squads, England Under 19’s, Under 23’s and finally into the full England Team.  If you said to the 15 year old me that I’d end up going to university, he would have laughed at you. Yet only a few years later I’m studying at a top university and I’ve represented my country.”

Mark Dick the EFL Trust, Futsal Manager, comments, “The course is ideal for people like Joe, who love sport and aren’t particularly motivated by the academic environment and as such didn’t do too well at school. By using sport as a focal point it’s provides a way to ignite a passion for learning. Many students then go onto university or straight into employment. That’s the main focus of the programme, however an ever increasing number of our students are finding their way into the regional development squads and more are likely to following Joe’s footsteps and play for the national team.”

Look Good Feel Good

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The Club Doncaster Foundation has been continuing to help improve the lives of people within the local community.

Over the past two months, the health and wellbeing section within the Foundation have been running the Look Good Feel Good programme, in collaboration with Mencap Doncaster and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, to help people become independent, cook meals and get fit.

The programme has seen participants enjoy a question and answer session with Doncaster Rovers first team players, go to a football match, prepare and cook meals and take part in various team building activities.

Speaking about the programme, Club Doncaster Foundation community officer Nick Gillott said: “The course that we have run over the past two months has had a massive impact on the lives of people within Doncaster.

“It is great that we as a Foundation are able to positively help the local community so much and see people enjoying themselves.

“From the feedback we have received from the course, we are delighted that we have had a positive influence on the people who participated on the course and we look forward to running similar programmes in the future.

For more information on how you can get involved with the Foundation visit www.clubdoncasterfoundation.co.uk

You can see some of the great work that has been done by the Club Doncaster Foundation on the programme in the video below:

Grecians Delight With National Finals Win

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The fifth and final National Finals Day at the International Futsal Arena in Birmingham took place on Thursday with ten teams split in to two groups all playing four matches in a round robin to advance to the semi-finals.

In Group A Southampton won all four matches and only conceded 2 goals to finish top on 12 points, they were followed closely behind by Bristol City who finished on 9 points, their only loss to the Saints. Mansfield Town finished in third with 6 points while Sheffield United and Preston North End both finished on 1 point respectively.

In Group B the final placing came down to the final round of matches with Grimsby Town topping the group on 9 points having lost their only match narrowly to Sheffield United , in second place Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle both finished on 7 points but in was Exeter who had the better goal difference to book their place in the semis. In fourth place were Sheffield United on 4 points and Chelsea finished fifth on 1 point.

Down to the Semi Finals and The Grecians played the in form Southampton but City produced some great attacking futsal to win the match 3-0, in the second semi final Grimsby Town who were coming in to form at the right time on the day beat Bristol City 3-2.

In to the final and the first goal went to Exeter City with a great move finished in style, they held the lead for 10 minutes before Grimsby Town equalized with 7 minutes remaining. Three minutes from time and it was all still square until City scored with 2 minutes left on the clock. It proved to be the winner after great defending and some outstanding saves from the Grecians keeper in the last minutes of play.

Another great day of finals, thank you to all the players, coaches and referees for some great Futsal.

Lilywhites prove invincible

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Another day of quality Futsal came to Birmingham International Arena today for the League 3 National Finals 2016, another 16 teams were split in to four groups and would play three group matches each before the knockout stages.

In Group A Bristol City were unbeaten winning every game by one goal to progress with 9 points, in second was Southampton who finished on 4 points the same as Blackpool but the Saints progressed by virtue of goal difference; Newport County finished fourth on 0 points.

In Group B Preston North End finished top on maximum points, convincingly winning all three game, Exeter snatches the second qualifying spot on 6 points while Norwich City finished third on 3 points and Newport County fourth on 0 points.

In Group C the other Canaries side finished unbeaten and topped the group on 9 points. In second place was another tie on points with Portmouth and Southampton finishing on 4 points respectively but it was Pompey who had the superior goal difference and progressed to the quarter finals. In fourth place were Bradford City on 0 points.

In Group D, the top spot was tied on 7 points with Scunthorpe United finishing above Grimsby Town on goal difference, in third place was Bristol City on 3 points and Hull City on 0 points.

To the quarter finals and the best 8 teams of the day would battle it out. In the first quarter final Exeter overcame Bristol, Norwich City had their revenge on Grimsby Town who until today had done the treble over the Carrow Road outfit, beating them for a place in the semis. In the bottom half of the draw Preston North End beat Southampton and Scunny beat Portsmouth.

In the semi finals Norwich City continued their good form in the finals beating Exeter City 3 – 2, The Lilywhites also remained unbeaten winning 3 – 0 against Scunthorpe to set up a great final.

The final between the best two teams of the day and it didn’t disappoint with both teams on the attack from the first whistle, it was Preston North End who scored first and it stayed 1 – 0 until for the rest of the match with a great display from their defence and keeper to keep the clean sheet.

Preston North End were Champions and fully deserved, a great day of Futsal from all the players, coaches, staff and of course the referees, well done everyone.