Sunderland AFC gets David ‘Back on Track’

David Little left school in 2017 with very few qualifications and low in confidence.  He joined Sunderland AFC’s Foundation of Light’s, ‘Back on Track’ programme and started a journey with his Football Club that eventually led to him securing full-time employment with a locally based company, ‘Vantec.’ 

The Foundation’s Back on Track programme is specifically designed for students who leave school with little or no qualifications. The programme engages, inspires and educates young people aged 16-19 by helping them achieve nationally recognised qualifications, improve their numeracy and literacy skills and gain practical working experience.

At the start of  the programmes, David often shied away from group tasks causing a knock-on effect to his already low confidence.  Consequently, David struggled with his self-esteem and had no clear vision on what he desired his future to look like and was therefore hesitant on making decisions that would correlate and affect his future.

Despite this, the support and guidance of the Foundation’s staff along with David’s perseverance would eventually pay off.

With programmes ending and unsure about his next steps, David started to experience anxiety. It was then he was told about a potential two-week work placement with Vantec – a logistics solution provider in the automotive parts logistics field.

Determined to grab the opportunity with both hands, David quickly accepted the proposal put forward to him by Foundation staff, with the latter eager to help David prepare as efficiently as possible.

Ahead of his work experience placement in August 2022, David was supported with interview preparation, he received help updating his CV and was provided with useful information around Vantec and who they were as a business.

Despite being very hesitant in the early exchanges of his two-week placement, David grew in confidence, completing tasks on his own and using his own initiative.

While on placement, David was also supported financially, receiving lunch and travel bursaries. Regular site visits were made to catch up with David enabling Foundation staff to find out how he was getting on and if he needed any further support.

At the end of his placement, Vantec offered David a full-time contract. Although Vantec staff felt he still had a lot to learn, they were very impressed with David’s attitude and dedication, which ultimately played a key part in David gaining full-time employment.

Anthony Parkinson, a Skills Officer at the Foundation of Light, has built a good rapport with David, helping him to become more work ready. He said: “David is the epitome of how the Foundation of Light can transform someone’s life.

“Staff that have worked previously with David over the years are really proud of how far he has come. Through hard work and determination, David deserves this opportunity.”

David continues to work at Vantec with his employers very impressed with his development. He added: “I’m loving it so far. I really like it here. Thank you to the Foundation of Light for helping me get this opportunity.”

Swansea City AFC Foundation’s FIT JACKS participants collect 50kg of food for local foodbank

Swansea City AFC Foundation’s FIT JACKS participants collected 50kg of food for the Swansea Community Fridge foodbank to mark the end of their training programme.

The participants brought 110 items to their final FIT JACKS session for the local foodbank, having planned the donations with participant Layla Lucas, who manages Swansea Community Fridge.

The food was delivered to Swansea Community Fridge, which has seen a rise in demand during the COVID pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living crisis.

Layla was delighted to see her fellow participants come together to support the campaign, having suggested the idea to the group.

“It’s absolutely amazing, I thought we might get three or four tins here, but to get as much as we did is great, especially with the cost-of-living crisis,” said Layla.

“At Swansea Community Fridge we take in surplus food from supermarkets and other places, and we distribute it to the community to prevent waste going to landfill.

“I thought it would be nice for the group to have a collection for an organisation that organises food, it didn’t have to be mine, but after running it by the Foundation they were happy to take part and thankfully everyone got on board.

“This will help us feed up to 200 people with our food parcels each week, it’s a huge benefit, some weeks we don’t get much food from supermarkets so this will help supplement it.”

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    Wildcats with Derby County Community Trust gives Blythe the opportunity to progress onto the FA Talent Pathway

    Blythe attends Derby County Community Trust’s FA Wildcats provision and she has become a role model to those around her, but she was not always the confident, bright young girl she is today.

    The programme aimed at young girls aged 5-11 promotes a non-competitive, fun environment for all from those wanting to try football for the first time to girls who just want to play the game with girls the same age as them.

    With emphasis on fun, Blythe has not only done that but has shown such enthusiasm, and commitment to the sessions that she epitomises the Wildcats values.

    Blythe’s commitment paired with her talent has seen her refereed to the FA Talent Pathway.

    The Talent Inclusion programme ensures that through existing community activities,  participants with potential can be identified and referred to the FA England Women’s Talent Pathway. The programme is specifically run by EFL Club Community Organisations, who engage with young girls from low social economic communities and underrepresented groups, and looks to refer talented players who may not access traditional talent pathways due to social class, ethnicity and demographic.

    When first attending Wildcats, Blythe was a shadow of the person she has become today, a shy character with very low confidence. The programme has provided her a safe, enjoyable, consistent environment to excel in with the potential to provide her opportunities that she would not be granted if she was not to attend.

    Wildcats has had such a huge affect on Blythe, that she has recommended it to her peers in and outside of school but it is not only Blythe who the programme has impacted.

    Blythe’s mother Rose, works tiredly to provide opportunity and an amazing life for her children and with the Trust being so important to her daughters development both as a person and as a football player, Rose has started her own journey with the Trust as a way to give back.

    She volunteers her own time to help out on the delivery of Wildcat sessions, Premier League Kicks sessions and holiday activities that the Trust run throughout the year.

    EFL Clubs roll out new BA Hons Degree increasing education opportunities for all.

    Football fans who want to learn about the business of football can study at their football Club thanks to a new BA Hons degree course in Sports Business Management which will be available at 17 EFL Clubs from September 2023.

    Delivered in partnership with the University of South Wales, the degree is specifically designed for students who are looking for a career in business and management within the sports industry. Each individual will get the unique chance to study at their local football Club, often at the stadium via an online learning platform and will receive mentoring support and practical work experience through the Club’s community organisation.

    To launch the degree, BTEC students from QPR were invited to demonstrate their business acumen and to come up with ways to boost match day revenue for the Club. Their ideas were pitched to a group of football ‘dragons’, including QPR players Josh De Silva and Trent Rendall.

    You can see how they got on here.

    QPR are one of 17 EFL Clubs running the new degree from September where students will cover topics including business planning, financial management and marketing.

    The first pitch at the launch event was by Avante Joseph and Myles Mari who presented the ‘QPR App, giving fans the chance to access exclusive content about the Club, from the men’s first team to the academy, as well as live commentary of games.

    The second pitch by Denzel Magezi, Matheus Rossi and Oliver Hearn-Lee proposed the ‘E-sports room’ offering fans the opportunity to compete in E-Sports tournaments against their heroes in renowned games such as FIFA and Fortnite.

    The final pitch came from Angela Oceja, who’s idea was a pre and post-match ‘Community Festival’ to ensure the Club embraced every aspect of its local community. It would give a platform to local DJs, performers, food business and other local entertainers to participate.

    On the judging panel the ‘dragons’ included Josh De Silva and Trent Rendall from QPR, Emily Fermor of Hanbury Strategy and Jay Probert from the University of South Wales.

    Emily said: “We were very impressed with the plans and it was obvious that the students had done their market research. We were particularly impressed with how each pitch had considered and looked to improve the fan’s experience and deciding the winner was very difficult.”

    After a long deliberation of three very impressive pitches the judges awarded Denzel, Matheus and Oliver’s ‘E-sport room’ as the overall winners, with the trio taking home their very own tablet as their prize. Trent commented: “The market research the students had carried out was very impressive. We could really see how this would work and would be something that we’d be excited to get involved in.”

    Cathy Abraham, Chief Executive of the EFL Trust said, “The degree is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn about the business side of sport and to do so while getting invaluable hands on experience at a professional Football Club. This is another great example of how Clubs use the power of the badge and their unique position in the community to improve people’s education and chance of gaining meaningful employment.“

    Clubs delivering BA Hons Degree in Sport Business Management:
    Accrington Stanley, AFC Fylde, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Burton Albion, Cardiff City, Carlisle United, ,Derby County, Exeter City, Hull City, Leyton Orient, Lincoln City, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End, QPR, Sheffield United, Shrewsbury Town, Tranmere Rovers,West Brom Albion.

    To find out more about the degree go to www.efltrust.com/ba-sports-business-and-management/

    Foundation Degree with Stevenage Foundation enhanced Sonny’s leadership as a coach.

    Prior to enrolling on the Foundation Degree with Stevenage Foundation, in partnership with the University of South Wales Sonny was already well known at the Foundation having been an apprentice.

    His experience within the environment meant Sonny already had a high level of confidence when it came to coaching and working as part of a team environment. Although Sonny’s foundations did not need building in this instance, the Degree Course was perfect for him to develop further on and off the pitch and nurture his leadership skills.

    The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

    Personal and professional development is paramount on the Foundation Degree and something Sonny excelled at despite having a wealth of previous experience.

    With the possibility to always improve, Sonny said: “ I was able to develop my understanding of coaching techniques to discover how they work in getting the best out of each individual/group.”

    As a result, Sonny is now the lead coach for local club Bishops Stortford where his ability to differentiate between coaching techniques is pivotal as he coaches children ranging from U7’s to U13’s.

    Click here to find out more.

    University of South Wales graduate now working full-time at Stevenage Foundation and Stevenage FC Academy.

    Whilst on the Foundation Degree in partnership with the University of South Wales and Stevenage Foundation, Josh gained on the job experience through the Foundations community projects that has allowed him to make the natural progression into full-time coaching.

    The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

    Consequently, through the mixed learning styles that the degree course holds, Josh was able to develop both personally and professionally to benefit his own coaching, and the experience of the participants he now coaches.

    He said: “ The course allowed me to learn different coaching techniques in order to manage each and every individual differently. This allows me to add a different strength to my coaching as my ability to manage individuals with different abilities has improved.”

    The course also gave Josh the opportunity to gain professional qualifications in his UEFA B license, that set the foundations for his progression where he not only coaches at the Foundation but is also the lead U12’s coach at Stevenage FC Academy.

    Click here to find out more.

     

    Degree course with Blackpool FC Community Trust gives Courtney the confidence chase her dream of becoming a teacher.

    Having had the desire to work within sport and education since an early age, the degree course with Blackpool FC Sports College and Blackpool FC Community Trust has given Courtney the confidence and opportunity to pursue her dream.

    She explained: “My passion for sports started at such a young age, it is since then that I have wanted to become a PE teacher However, I wasn’t sure that I had enough confidence to teach, which has led me to study on this programme.”

    The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

    The unique nature of studying for a degree with the University of South Wales means Courtney did not have to choose between finishing her education or gaining experience in a working environment. As the degree provides practical experience whilst student learn.

    She said: “I decided that the USW Foundation Degree was for me as it offers a range of opportunities to better my knowledge and experience within a sports environment. The degree can help me become a better coach as I will gain more experience on my placement as well as knowledge due to assignments. “

    Having been involved in various coaching and teaching practices from day one, Courtney has naturally grown in confidence, a skill which will undoubtedly be pivotal in her future success as a teacher.

    Although Courtney’s confidence is now enough for her to feel comfortable in delivering and coaching an array of sessions, it has not always been that way.

    Courtney is a very keen advocate of more females enrolling onto the degree course. Courtney is part of the Female Development Programme as a representative of her year group.

    She said: “I personally feel this programme will benefit all females because you are given a choice on what you prefer, it gives you the opportunity to give your opinion on how women can develop in the sporting industry. The more females involved within the female development programme, the more opportunity, and benefits there will be for us!

    I feel as it is important for more females to be involved within the degree and sport because it creates role models for other females to feel the confidence to also become involved which creates a higher percentage of female involvement. Women increased involvement can also promote positive development in sports such as values, attitude, knowledge, capabilities, and experience. “

    After concluding her two-year foundation degree, Courtney hopes to continue onto the top-up degree before applying to complete her PGCE to fulfil her career aspirations of becoming a teacher.

    Click here to find out more.

    Blackburn Rovers Community Trust launch female Veterans programme

    Blackburn Rovers Community Trust will be launching a brand-new project, focused on helping female Veterans.

    The launch of the new Female Veterans Employability Programme follows on from our successful Veterans project, which operates on a weekly basis at Ewood Park.

    Funded by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, the female Veterans programme will run for an initial three years for women who have served in the HM Armed Forces

    Lasting a total of 36 weeks per cohort, the programme is designed to help female veterans develop career confidence and help them prepare for employment.

    The project will include volunteering, employability workshops, health, and well-being activities, informal one to one support, digital skills, and other activities.

    The programme has been launched ahead of Armed Forces Day 2023, which will take place on Saturday 24th June.

    Lauren Yeates, who will lead the project for Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, said: “We are delighted that we will now be offering support and a service to female Veterans for at least the next three years.

    “I’d like to thank The Army Forces Covenant Fund Trust for helping fund the project, and we will do our upmost to support female Veterans living in the Blackburn with Darwen and wider Lancashire area. If you have any questions, please do get in touch.”

     

     

    EFL and EFL Trust sign Armed Forces Covenant

    Ahead of Armed Forces Day (Saturday 24 June), the EFL and EFL Trust earlier this week signed the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to support the armed forces community and their families.

    In signing the covenant, which took place at EFL House, the EFL and EFL Trust seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring and pledging ongoing support to them within the organisation and community.

    Cathy Abraham, CEO of the EFL Trust, said: “Members of the Armed Forces make a significant contribution to our country and we understand the issues that veterans and their family members face.

    “We are proud to make a commit to share opportunities with the Armed Forces family, using football to bring people together for the greater good, and in an environment where they are treated fairly and equally and with an opportunity to thrive.”

    In attendance at the signing were members of the military and of the EFL network of Club Community organisations who are already supporting the covenant in their communities. . Signing on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Community was Colonel Darren Doherty.

    Photo by Phil Oldham/Shutterstock 
    A general view during the event
    EFL Armed Forces Covenant Signing, Football, EFL House, Preston, UK – 20 Jun 2023

     

    Colonel Darren Doherty, said: “People who serve in or have served in the armed forces and their families have to give up quite a lot. The covenant looks to make sure they are not disadvantaged as a result of that service. Particularly those who suffered from mental illness or life changing injuries… we’re just looking to make sure that we’re not disadvantaged in terms of the practical aspects such as housing, employment, education.

    “Football is the soldier’s game and is so connected with community. This is it’s so important to have support from organisations like the EFL and EFL Trust.”

    Also invited to the event was Mark Ward from Stockport County Community Trust, who served as a solider and was awarded the Military Cross in 2010.

    Mark said: “I served 10 years in the infantry with my local regiment. Throughout this time, football was a big part of army life – the connection between football and the armed forces has been going for a long time.

    “Upon leaving the army I found it really difficult to settle back into civilian life but thanks to football, it helped me get to where I am today. I gained my coaching badges and got a full-time role with Stockport County Community Trust.

    “We’re now looking at piloting our own programmes for the Armed Forces in the local area, where I can use my personal experience to help others from a similar background to me.”

    Many Clubs across the League provide a range of support programmes for veterans of all ages, helping them with mental health challenges and education and employment opportunities.

    Speaking at the signing, Ashley Hackett, CEO of Blackpool Community Trust, said:

    “When we talk about armed forces veterans, typically we think of people aged 60 – 70 years of age but it is absolutely not just that age group. The people we are engaging with at Blackpool Community Trust are in their 20s and early thirties.

    “While our provision primarily focuses on football activities, we also deliver support for things like housing benefits and mental and social health for each veteran and their family members.”

    Jacob volunteering with Swindon Town FC Community Foundation after attending their Refugee sessions.

    At just 14 years old, Jacob left his home in Sudan and made the journey to the United Kingdom, a journey that would take him 3 years. Jacob describes this ordeal as “extremely daunting and scary.”

    Having now been in the UK for 2 years, Jacob is 18 years old and has been volunteering with Swindon Town FC Community Foundation with ambition to establish a career in sport.

    His role as a Facility Staff Member is based at ‘Foundation Park’, a place he knows well from his own participation.

    For Jacob, Swindon Town FC Community Foundation and football were the two things that provided him support and stability when he arrived.

    With no means of employment, and a stipend that doesn’t allow for leisure activities, Jacob and others are faced with long hours of boredom.

    One outlet that is available to them is sport, and recognising this, the Foundation has given refugees the opportunity to attend coached sessions and play matches using the Foundation’s facilities.

    The weekly sessions average around 20 participants, and those who are regularly committed have also been able to form a team. The Foundation also assist the participants with obtaining any kit that may be required in order to remove any barriers to participation they may be faced with.

    Jacob loves attending weekly sessions at the Swindon Town FC Community Hub ‘Foundation Park’ which sits under the shadow of STFC home stadium The County Ground.

    Swindon Town FC Foundation has given Jacob the opportunity to be active, meet new people, and aspire to pursue a career in something he loves.