Not Holding Back at Norwich City Community Sports Foundation: James’ Story

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Growing up with a cochlear implant to assist with his hearing, which he continues to use, James joined Norwich Community Sports Foundation’s disability football programme at the age of 10 after his family discovered the Foundation’s hearing impairment football sessions that take place on a Friday evening at Carrow Park. 

The Foundation provides an inclusive environment in a variety of provisions to ensure their local community can access support for physical, mental and social wellbeing.

After embarking on the Foundation’s Football and Education Programme, James then took the next step, successfully applying for an apprenticeship at the Foundation. And he has now gone full circle, helping to coach the next generation of disability football participants.  

Disability and Inclusion Manager, Darren Hunter, said: “James is proving that having a disability shouldn’t hold you back in anything that you do and he’s testament to that. He’s a great role model for anybody that wants to come and be a coach, test themselves and push themselves further.” 

Norwich City is one of many Clubs in the English Football League (EFL) who run pivotal programmes, and in 2023/24 1.10m people engaged with community programmes delivered by EFL Clubs and Club charities, of which, 10% had a disability. Last season alone,  football training sessions for adults, children and young people with disabilities engaged 9,397 participants.

 

Huddersfield Town’s wellbeing programme rescues Mihai

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When Mihai Luchenciuc relocated to Yorkshire in his early teens from Romania to live with his older sister, leaving behind his parents and other family members, he began to battle with isolation and mental health challenges. 

Mihai, aged 19, experienced symptoms of low mood and psychosis.  

After initial treatment, and the care of the local NHS Psychosis Team, they wanted to engage Mihai in positive activity where he could feel safe and included. 

Also due to the medication prescribed for his mental health, Mihai experienced weight gain, so it was hoped that by attending wellbeing football activity it would have holistic benefits for him. His care coordinator brought him to Huddersfield Town Foundation’s weekly Wellbeing Football and Heads Up sessions. 

Gregory Russell, from the NHS Psychosis Team supported Mihai during his recovery. “My job is to work with Mihai to help him achieve his goals, and in doing so, attempt to coordinate and provide him with care,” Gregory said. “In our time working together, Mihai identified goals as starting to make friends, feeling like he fitted in in the local area, to lose weight and get back into education.  

“Football is a huge stress deterrent for Mihai, the group has also made him feel like he belongs in the local area, given him something to attend each week and allowed us to work on his confidence in many ways.” 

Mihai has developed new friendships and his mental health has improved, thanks to local NHS support and the variety of provisions on offer by Huddersfield Town Foundation, the Club’s official charity. The Foundation wanted to set up a session that specifically helped local members of the community with their mental health, and Heads Up was born in October 2023. 

Oliver Cundill, Health Manager at Huddersfield Town Foundation said: “I feel his footballing ability is dramatically improving week by week. 

“His engagement with the other participants on the session has been great, making key friendships that have benefited him away from the session He has enjoyed coming along to a session where he can confidentially share his struggles away from the sessions.” 

Men in Sheds with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust “the best thing” Ross has done.

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“Coming to Men in Sheds is the best thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve met a bunch of great people.”

To mark World Mental Health Day 2024, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust’s Men in Sheds participant Ross has shared his story on how his Clubs chairity has supported him.

In the past two months, Blackburn Rovers have helped more than 100 participants through various provisions focused on mental wellbeing.

During this time, Men in Sheds has helped 25 different people, including Blackburn Rovers supporter Ross, who has been attending the sessions for more than five years.

Men in Sheds is run in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council; with the aim of supporting men in the community to discuss their mental health and develop new skills in a safe environment.

The group meet up on a weekly basis and have developed close friendships courtesy of the Men in Sheds programme.

And Ross has since made new friends, gained confidence and attended group trips across the UK, including to Belfast.

“I joined the Men in Sheds group to improve my mental health and see where it would take me,” admitted Ross.

“It has really helped. The programme has helped me get my first ever job as a steward at Blackburn Rovers and build up my employability skills.

“I have enrolled on other Community Trust programmes such as the Community Ambassadors programme and they have helped me enormously. My confidence has been restored by meeting new people and supporting others too.”

Since joining Men in Sheds, Ross has reported a positive change in his mental wellbeing, and has now got a full time job at a warehouse in Blackburn.

He continued: “We have done some great things together at Men in Sheds, including maintaining a garden as a group, as a team building exercise, and we have also gone on an annual trip to Belfast to meet a likeminded group in Northern Ireland.

“It has had a really positive effect on my mental health, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Men in Sheds.”

Ilyas Patel, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust Inclusion Manager, added: “When Ross first came to Men in Sheds, within the first couple of weeks of Ross attending, we were launching the Community Ambassadors programme.

“The Community Ambassadors was a free 12-week accredited programme that was open to anyone over the age of 16 who wanted the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and become more involved in local life through working with others on projects that improve their neighborhoods.

“I thought it would be good for Ross to be part of that. At first, he wasn’t too sure, but I told him he could walk away any time, but he completed the full 12 week programme.

“It was about confidence building and at that time he didn’t feel comfortable being around others. He was in a room with 30 others, but that is what built up his confidence, talking to others and doing group work.

“Supporting people now is one of his greatest qualities, and his mum is really proud of him for what he has achieved.

“We’ve got to a stage now where the guys will open up about their feelings and everyone checks in on each other, and that’s the beauty about this group.”

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust provided Eissa with a sense of belonging

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“I feel I belong here, and I belong in Blackburn.”

Emotional and strong words from Eissa as he explained how crucial of a role Blackburn Rovers Community Trust has played in both his and his family’s life.

Ten years ago, Eissa arrived in England from Myanmar and had to claim Asylum, after taking the brave decision to leave his homeland due to being dangerous for him and his family.

Eissa and his family were alone in new surroundings, with little to no support, living in the Blackburn with Darwen area.

However, he started to lay the foundations for a new beginning when he attended a DARE session for advice, and he met Blackburn Rovers Community Trust’s Community Inclusion Manager, Ilyas Patel.

Ilyas introduced Eissa to various projects suitable for him at the Community Trust, including the Community Ambassadors programme and Men in Sheds.

 Eissa said: “Blackburn Rovers Community Trust really helped me when I first moved here.”

“I met new people, and I was able to socialise too. My English at the time wasn’t very good at all, but by attending various sessions, my communication skills improved.

“I moved to England from Myanmar, and it wasn’t safe. Initially I wasn’t allowed to work when I first moved to England, so I used to volunteer and help out with the DARE project.

“I volunteered on various programmes, and it helped me stay busy but also support the local community too.

“To this day I still volunteer, and I thoroughly enjoy it.”

Eissa’s journey with Blackburn Rovers continued, and soon enough, once he was allowed to work, he worked as a matchday steward at Ewood Park.

Now a full-time taxi driver, Eissa’s journey has been a difficult one, but he is now settled in the area with his family, and he is enjoying life.

He continued: “I always feel so welcome when I come to Blackburn Rovers. I now have a full-time job too.

“I was a very reserved person, I never spoke to people, but Blackburn Rovers Community Trust has helped me feel so much.

“I was a bit scared to talk but I am not anymore, I feel very confident, and the Men in Sheds group helped me with that as we would do things together. I don’t feel like a stranger from another country, I feel like I belong to Blackburn.”

Eissa volunteers to help Blackburn Rovers Community Trust on a consistent basis.

From Tanzania to Teesside: Hassan’s inspirational journey with Middlesbrough FC Foundation

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From Tanzania to Teesside. Not the most obvious route for a someone just short of their teenage years. But that was the route taken at the start of a new chapter in the life of Hassan Mtambo.

He was 12 when he and his family left Zanzibar and made Middlesbrough their home.

It is often said that football is a universal language. It certainly helped Hassan settle and quickly make friends.

It led to his first association with Middlesbrough FC Foundation; the first steps on an inspirational journey.

Seeing a group of young people playing on some land near his Acklam home, he asked if he could join in. He was quickly accepted and introduced to a Foundation session.

That session became an integral part of Hassan’s teenage years. It helped him socially and athletically. He explains; “If I hadn’t started there I probably would have been up to mischief. Growing up, there were two different groups. One would get up to mischief, the other just wanted to play football and be part of a group that enjoyed playing football.

“We were happy, we played football and would go home fed.” It had sown the seed.

Hassan moved on to college and that progression gradually saw him outgrow his participation, but the separation wasn’t a lengthy one.

When his college studies came to an end, Hassan applied for a job with MFC Foundation and was awarded an apprenticeship.

He remembers thinking, “I started here as a kid and now I’m working here. That was a strange feeling, to complete that cycle. It was, wow, I’m now helping people like someone helped me.”

And that, for Hassan, is what it’s about. It’s never been about any financial reward, it’s about helping people and making a difference. He qualified as a PT  during his college years and acknowledges he could earn a higher salary. However his ethos is simple and heartwarming. “If I can make one person happy in my sessions, make life better for them, that’s the reward I need.”

It’s much more than football for him now. His personal and motivational skills, his interaction with others, became clear and he started to work on other programmes. Among them, Football Welcomes, Kitchen Therapy, Match Fit, and PL Primary Stars.

His former mentor and now line manager Paul South recalls: “When he was young, he liked going to the gym. He liked training. I quickly learned that one part of sport he likes is to educate others, to manage them, to be a mentor for them.

“When he first joined the foundation as an apprentice, he thought I would be working with schoolchildren, in schools, helping them. He soon found there was much more to his role, and I think Match Fit (formerly Fit Boro) is probably his favourite.

“I have never had a second thought about asking him to cover sessions on different programmes. Feedback from schools and participants is always encouraging.”

The Football Welcomes programme saw Hassan work with different people, different cultures, different skin colours and different languages. Football again has proved a common language. Participants from 17 different countries act as though they’ve been lifelong friends under his guidance.

His work in schools has helped not only teachers and schoolchildren, but the Foundation as a whole.

So what does the future hold for a man on a mission? “I’m studying to be a nutritionist,” Hassan reveals. “It’s so I can help the people who are struggling with their nutrition. I’m looking to develop something on an app so we can reach a lot more.

“We’re taking our programmes to places they they’ve never been, like the Central Mosque in Middlesbrough. It’s different, it’s a challenge outside your comfort zone. But people have responded in a good way. I’m working in places that are not my culture and with people who have a different background. But you have to learn.

“For me, I’m just doing small things, but sometimes it makes a big difference. Maybe it’s a gift.”

Abdu Abubakar has become a role model to many after his dedication to supporting other refugees and asylum seekers settling in Hull.

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Abdu Abubakar, from Hull City, has become a role model for his dedication to supporting other refugees and asylum seekers settling in Hull.

Abdu, a valued member of the Hull City, Tigers Trust team, initially joined as a participant before dedicating over 200 hours to volunteer work, assisting his peers with education and language barriers, as well as supporting staff in community sports sessions. He has been a full-time team member for almost four years now.

Abdu’s journey to Hull from Eritrea as a refugee was marked by challenges, but through resilience and community support, he has flourished. Initially facing language barriers and isolation, Abdu found his footing through programmes like the Kicks International Programme and has since become an integral part of the local community, significantly improving his English proficiency and confidence.

Abdu volunteered extensively, mentoring others and assisting with language barriers in various programmes. His dedication to helping others has been evident throughout his employment with the Trust, particularly during lockdowns, where he supported community members battling loneliness and inactivity.

Abdu’s impact extends beyond his immediate community, as he actively works to increase activity levels in Hull, particularly among young adults and ethnic groups. His efforts have led to thousands of attendances in programmes aimed at promoting physical activity and community engagement.

Abdu’s infectious smile and genuine passion for the Tigers Trust and its programmes make him a standout representative of the organisation’s values. His commitment to personal growth and supporting others has not gone unnoticed. Abdu, has become a role model and a representative of the pathway’s that are possible for refugees and asylum seekers with support from Club Community Organisations.

 

 

Accelerating the progress of Women and Girls in Football

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As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we look at how the network of EFL Club Community Organisations aim to give women in football and sport equal opportunities to succeed, and accelerate their progress in their chosen pathway.

With recognition that women were under-represented across the Football and Sport’s Coaching degree courses that are run at over 40 Clubs in partnership with the University of South Wales, the Female Development programme was established in the academic year of 2021-22 to ensure all women on the course were offered a tailored programme of opportunities to expand their knowledge and confidence with other women from other Clubs.

By ensuring an inclusive environment, with opportunities to network and hear from like-minded professionals in the sport, the programme ensures that the students on the degree course are provided with the opportunity to upskill and build confidence.

Throughout the year they have access to a variety of events that feature female professionals from a variety of roles within sport. This helps give students the confidence to seek out all the opportunities that are available to them.

Speakers to date have included senior members of the EFL Trust, who have shared their experiences of working in sport, from working off the field, to being front and centre on it. They have also heard from Daisy Croker who referees on the FA Women’s National League and the U21s Professional Game Academy League and has been involved in refereeing for the last 7 years, working her way through the ranks.

With coaching being a huge element of the degree courses, Jayne Jackson, EFL Trust’s Wildcats Project Manager provided the girls with best practices and advice on getting involved with their local Club Community Organisations and the Wildcats programme. As a result of this, some of the students have begun volunteering at their local Wildcats sessions.

From Grassroots football to the professional game, Charlotte Healy, Manchester United Women’s Assistant Coach will be a guest speaker next month as she discusses her journey and progression her from role as a community coach at Derby County Community Trust to the pinnacle of English football in the Women’s Super League.

With the opportunity to grow, develop and establish themselves in the industry, it is no wonder the Female Development programme has become a pivotal part in the increasing number of female students on the USW degree courses. With just 12 students in its first year, last year 36 students were engaged in the programme.

Whilst the University of South Wales degree programme creates opportunity for women to coach the game, our CCOs also offer a pathway for Girls to play the game. This is from the very first kick of a ball with Wildcats to the Talent Inclusion programme which helps girls who dream of representing England one day.

The Wildcats programme, in run partnership with the FA, is 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. This not only promotes fundamental skills required on the pitch but also develops life skills off it from effective communication to the ability to problem solve as part of a wider team.

Whilst only a small number of girls will go on to receive full senior caps at International level, our Talent Inclusion programme, also run in partnership with the FA, ensures every girl has equal chance to do so, regardless of their background.

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 EFL Trust’s CCOs work in some of the most deprived communities in England, where individuals and families experience challenges when trying to participate in sport and other activities. Women’s football has become a significant part of CCO delivery and engagement has hit an all-time high, given this, there is a considerable opportunity for potential to be identified and developed in the right environment. In particular, research from The FA has indicated that girls from low-socio-economic urban areas are not progressing into the talent system which is a lost opportunity for both young girls and the England team.

The Talent Inclusion programme is specifically run by over 60 EFL Club Community Organisations, who engage with young girls from low social economic communities and underrepresented groups, and look to refer talented players who, for whatever reason, may not be able to access traditional talent pathways.

It is paramount to the future of England women’s football that the pathway is a system for all. The EFL Trust and The FA are committed to working collaboratively to be creative and inventive to achieve this goal together.

JED WALLACE MEETS ALBION & ENGLAND STAR EESA AMJID AHEAD OF IBSA WORLD GAMES 2023

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West Bromwich Albion captain Jed Wallace welcomed Baggies and England blind footballer Eesa Amjid to the club’s training ground, to pass on some inspiring words before the2023 IBSA World Games.

Eesa and the Para Lions faced Germany, Argentina and China in the group stages before beating Mexico in play-off game to end their tournament on a high.

Eesa’s discussed with the WBA skipper his remarkable journey in blind football so far – from taking up the sport as a nine-year-old with The Albion Foundation, to scoring for England as a teenager.

https://twitter.com/WBA/status/1691132826953961473

After introducing Jed to blind football and putting the skipper through his paces with a blindfold on, Eesa spoke about his excitement for the IBSA Games and his bronze-winning experience at the IBSA EURO last summer.

Hosted in Birmingham, the 2023 IBSA World Games, which took place in August, was  a multi-sport event for blind and partially sighted athletes.

West Bromwich Albion and The Albion Foundation were represented by Eesa, along with Selina Prieto in Women’s blind football.

The Foundation hope to have even more England stars in the future with sessions running for children with visual impairment during term-time as well as weekly sessions for adults to train and compete with their Championship and Premiership Blind Football teams that play within the National Blind League.

 

Every Player Counts with Northampton Town Community Trust turns Loyd’s world around.

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Having struggled both physically and mentally, Loyd joined Northampton Town Community Trust’s Every Player Counts programme. The programme turned out to have such an impact on him and his ability to turn his life around, he now volunteers on the Trust’s disability programme.

“Back in 2012 I was informed about Northampton Town’s involvement with community projects via The Bridge. I was introduced to Russell Lewis and a weekly football training session.

“I became heavily involved with this project over four years, participating in the weekly training sessions, tournaments and with the creation of an 11 a side squad that participated in weekly evening league games. I thoroughly enjoyed all of this but unfortunately due to a change of shifts with my full-time job, I was sad to say my goodbyes to Russell and the team mates who had become friends.

“Juggling full time work and hobbies became increasingly difficult with life becoming busier and I found myself doing less exercise, becoming less sociable and my mental health crashing with reoccurring bouts of depression and anxiety. When I first joined, I was in the middle of a long episode of depression and anxiety and my involvement with football helped me to cope and recognise signs and symptoms on how to deal with it. However fast forward to 2022 and I found myself overweight, not exercising and feeling like my mental health was declining. So, I decided to fall back on the coping mechanisms I learnt from my past involvement and decided to make a positive change.

“I started to conduct research on the Northampton Town Football Club website and read up on the community projects that the club were involved in. Due to working at Northampton General Hospital, I work shifts, but Every Player Counts sessions fell perfectly on my day off. So, I sent a message and enquired if this is something I would be able to attend and made my way to the session. It had been several years since I last attended a session like this, so with my current state of mind I was even more anxious and nervous. However as soon as I arrived, I saw welcoming faces from years gone by welcoming me back and I felt like I hadn’t been away. Russell introduced me to all the new members, and I absolutely loved it. I was hooked again.

“The weekly session of Every Player Counts gave me the focus to be mindful of what I ate and exercise that I could do during the week to improve my session when I played football. For those couple of hours once a week, I forgot any worries and everything else except football. It was amazing and I felt so positive and happy following every session. I had forgotten how much I love playing and how football can offer so much more with opportunities to meet new people and the personal effects it can have both mentally and physically. I was making healthier choices and feeling great.

“I wanted to be involved as much as possible and enquired if there were any other sessions I could join or help with. So, I was invited to attend additional Every Player Counts sessions and was introduced to NTFC’s Multi Disability teams. This was a personal changing point. These sessions have led to opportunities that I am so grateful for. I have now started my coaching journey with the club, attended various training courses and taken responsibility for coaching teams in Multi Disability games, against various BOBI league teams and Premiership clubs in a host of disability tournaments and festivals.

“Involvement with NTFC community projects over the past year has given me opportunities to attend various disability workshops and training courses which have led to various voluntary coaching opportunities. Including coaching alongside Russell and a small team of NTFC coaches to help implement new blind football training sessions. Working up close with a small team of highly experienced professional coaches and blind participants is an amazing opportunity I am grateful for, both personally and professionally.

“I have accepted that I may always have mental health issues but projects like Every Player Counts, coaching and volunteering with the NTFC multi disability teams has provided me with future learning and development opportunities that have given me the tools and confidence to deal with various challenges. In the past year I have struggled and going forward I’m sure I will at times, but my involvement in these projects has helped shaped the way I deal with my mental and physical health.

Football has given me the confidence, drive, and ambition to better myself. I am now so excited to see where my coaching journey with NTFC will take me.

“Thank you, Russell, the community projects and Northampton Town Football Club.”

Loyd Mitchell, Every Player Counts Participant

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

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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.