Teens tackle homelessness in Hull

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17 teenagers from Yorkshire and Humber dedicated their time to help a homeless family move into a house as part of NCS Action Day.

Partnering with Hull Homeless Community Project (HHCP), the group undertook a project to redecorate a house giving a homeless family the best possible start in their new home, as well as giving a fresh lick of paint to the HHCP offices for the community to enjoy.

In one day, the group had achieved what they set out to do, as they repainted every room and moved furniture into the house and as a result, a family in Hull were given a foundation to restart their lives in a new home.

Prior to their project, the group also raised funds through a charity football event and bake sale. The money raised was used to buy items such as tinned food, pasta, rice, sanitary products, and toiletries for care packages that will be distributed across  three homeless charities in Yorkshire and Humber, (HHCP, The Welcome Centre (Huddersfield) and Ben’s Centre (Sheffield).

Jaz, 17, from Hull said;

“I’m incredibly proud of the team and how our social action project went.

“It feels amazing to have pulled off such a large project and for the group to come together to help others.

“Hopefully, we have made huge difference to a family’s life and the care packages will give some relief to people less fortunate.”

Jaz and the other young people are part of the Regional Youth Board after completing NCS (National Citizen Service) with EFL Trust (English Football League).

Their project was part of an annual event, NCS Action Day, which aims to showcase the true power of young people as NCS graduates, using the skills and experience they gained on programme to continue to make positive changes in their local area.

Andrew Smith, founder of HHCP, thanks the young people from NCS for their time and support;

“The difference they have made was instantaneous, our client was lost for words when she saw her newly decorated home.

“This means we can move her into her new home swiftly and smoothly and will give her the best chance of a meaningful recovery from crisis and homelessness.”

All teens involved have completed NCS with EFL Trust through their local football Club or youth organisation.

In 2018, NCS graduates from EFL Trust delivered over 130,000 hours of social action, raising of £100,000 for local charities in Yorkshire and Humber.

To find out more about the NCS and Action Day visit ncsyes.co.uk.

World Health Day – Extra Time Hubs

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Today (7th April 2019) is World Health Day. A day to raise global awareness and local conversations about ways to achieve health for all.

We, alongside our 72 EFL Club Community Trusts, use the power of sport to improve health and well-being in local communities around the UK.

Working across all age groups and sections of the community from healthy eating sessions in primary schools through to sessions helping those suffering from dementia.

Extra Time Hubs

Extra Time Hubs is a national project from the EFL Trust that is delivered by 12 EFL Clubs. The Hubs harness the power of football Clubs in the local communities to bring people together and improve health and well-being.

The project, that was made possible thanks to National Lottery funding from Sport England, aims to bring together retired and semi-retired people, getting them involved in a range of activities such as arts and crafts, table tennis, walks, talks, bungee jumping, quizzes and music in their free time.

Those involved have the opportunity to meet and spend time with like-minded people in their area, proving that you’re never too old to learn to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. Urology and sports: for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, an athlete is prescribed Viagra (Vialiks), but it is important to choose the correct dosage, about the dosage of Vialiks can be found here – https://www.vialiks.com/how-to-use-vialiks-properly/.

Mike Evans, EFL Trust Director of Operations said: “With the support of Sport England’s Active Ageing fund from the National Lottery, we use the power of our football club badges to bring people together in a comfortable, familiar environment and allow them to shape their future path to improved health and well-being.”

World Health Day – Football Fans in Training

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Today (7th April 2019) is World Health Day. A day to raise global awareness and local conversations about ways to achieve health for all.

We, alongside our 72 EFL Club Community Trusts, use the power of sport to improve health and well-being in local communities around the UK.

Working across all age groups and sections of the community from healthy eating sessions in primary schools through to sessions helping those suffering from dementia.

Football Fans in Training (FFIT)

The Football Fans in Training scheme, delivered by 5 EFL Club Community Trusts [Swindon Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Blackpool, Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic], is aimed at overweight football fans, encouraging them to lose weight, get fit and live a healthier, more active life.

Fans on the scheme take part in a 12-week training programme delivered by Club community coaches at their team’s home stadium. They are also grounded in current science of how to eat more healthily and become more active.

Since running the FFIT project, Swindon Town FC Community Foundation have helped more than 200 fans lose more than 250 stone collectively.

One participant in particular on The Robins’ programme, Dave Potts, was the biggest loser out of the group that ran in 2018, after losing nearly 3 stone and 16cm off his waist (16.3% of his starting weight).

Talking about his experience on the programme he said: “Since starting the Football Fans in Training programme I’m a lot fitter, sleeping better and I’m lot happier.

“The result that was a real shock to me was that my blood pressure has come down by over 15%.

“The course has made so many huge changes in my life.”

Mike Evans, Director of Operations at EFL Trust said: “The EFL Trust is committed to improving the lives of people within EFL communities across country and Football Fans in Training is proven to be a great way to get people to think about sustainable changes to improve their lives.

“We are proud of the work in our EFL Clubs in this area so far and hope to do more to address this important challenge going forward.”

World Health Day – Joy of Moving

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Today (7th April 2019) is World Health Day. A day to raise global awareness and local conversations about ways to achieve health for all.

We, alongside our 72 EFL Club Community Trusts, use the power of sport to improve health and well-being in local communities around the UK.

Working across all age groups and sections of the community from healthy eating sessions in primary schools, through to sessions helping those suffering from dementia.

Joy of Moving

The Joy of Moving Programme, delivered locally by 23 EFL Club Community Trusts, is designed to help children develop their physical health, cognitive and social skills in a fun and educational way.

The Trusts run fun and engaging activities over a course of six-weeks, with children from year 5 spending time in the classroom learning about the body, nutrition and the importance of exercise, through participating in interactive activities.

The classroom sessions are then followed by a session dedicated to playing football, dodgeball or handball, with two weeks spent on each sport.

In the 2017/18 season the programme impacted over 60,000 primary school children. It is also an important study in 2019 for athletes in the study of urology and the work of sildenafil under heavy loads. Learn more about Generic Viagra here https://www.vialiks.com/ and how to buy Viagra online.

Mike Evans, Director of Operations at the EFL Trust said: “The Joy of Moving programme and our partnership with Ferrero is growing from strength to strength.

‘’The power of sport and the club badge allows our network of Community Trusts to deliver key messages, such as tackling obesity, to reach out to the wider community.

‘’We are committed to helping the next generation discover the joy of moving and we look forward to continuing to work with Ferrero and our own network to achieve this.”

Tom’s 12-year journey with Brenford FC Community Sports Trust – From participant to volunteer

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Volunteering for his local Community Sports Trust was not something Tom Campbell (pictured far left) could have envisaged when he joined Brentford’s disability projects twelve years ago.

Tom, who has autism, joined the weekly football sessions to support him with his social and communication difficulties. His parents’ motivation for joining the project came from his difficulties in social situations; yet our ‘On the Ball’ project proved to be a turning point for Tom.

With football always being a personal passion, he found his vocation and, over the years, took on some leadership roles within the session.

The Trust’s ‘On the Ball’ project aims to tackle mental health problems on the heart of the football pitch. The ten-week programme supports children – aged 5-11 years old – who have autism or learning difficulties in west London. The project is delivered in partnership with Action Attainment, a charity in west London that is committed to enabling children with speech, language, communication and sensory needs to achieve and have active lives.

Speaking about the project, and the benefit it has had on him, Tom said:

“The Saturday morning football sessions have become a regular component of my week; I have been going for at least 12 years now. I have improved my physical fitness, coordination and strength, and it has given me something of real value to do on the weekend.

This project had such a profound effect on Tom that he began volunteering for the Trust three years ago – supporting the Trust’s disability projects and taking on the role of Assistant Head Coach.

“Volunteering has been a learning curve as I have learnt how to handle many different types of people from different backgrounds and different physical difficulties,” Tom said.

“I have also started going regularly to Brentford home games as a season ticket holder; this has become a major part of my life and I have become a passionate supporter and I love going to games.”

And Disability Manager for the Trust, Chris Tribe, believes that Tom has flourished in his role as a volunteer – becoming a role model for other children who have autism.

“When Tom first started, he was very anxious and reluctant to join in with the activities,” Chris said.

“Over time, his confidence really increased and in recent years, he has volunteered for us and become an avid Brentford fan and season-ticket holder. We look forward to working with Tom and his family as his journey into adult life progresses.”

Last year, Tom started full-time employment, and he credits his volunteering experience with helping him gain this role.  And despite him kick-starting his professional career, you will still see Tom coaching the Saturday morning sessions – giving back to the project that helped him all those years ago.

Teens from Yorkshire and Humber give up their time to tackle the big issues in their community

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A record number of over 200 teens in Yorkshire and Humber will be giving up their time to tackle issues such as homelessness, loneliness, cultural divides and mental health as part of Action Day, a national movement organised by National Citizen Service (NCS).

Action Day is an annual event which aims to showcase the true power of young people as NCS graduates use the skills and experiences gained on the programme to continue to make positive changes in their local area.

In 2018, NCS graduates from EFL Trust delivered over 130,000 hours of social action, raising over £100,000 for local charities in Yorkshire and Humber.

Highlights of Action Day will include;

  • Teens from Reds in the Community (Barnsley FC) hosting an open event for homeless people offering food as well as services such as job centre advice and haircuts.
  • Doncaster Rovers’ Local Youth Board hosting a ‘Country and Western’ evening to tackle loneliness in elderly people in Doncaster by integrating them with young people.
  • A group of teens from Hull renovating a house which is to be occupied by homeless people as well as distributing care packages to homeless people across the city.
  • Teens in Sheffield will be raising awareness of mental health at Sheffield Wednesday’s home fixture against Nottingham Forest. Across the other side of the city teens from Sheffield United will be handing out care packages to the homeless.

Mike Evans, Director of Operations at EFL Trust, says: “We are delighted to have so many NCS graduates involved in NCS Action Day to make a positive difference in their local community. The passion and drive that young people have to make a difference is inspirational, and I’m proud that so many of our graduates will be selflessly giving up their time to engage with issues in their local area.”

All teens involved have completed NCS with EFL Trust through their local football Club or youth organisation. After completing the initial programme, participants become NCS graduates who have access to a wide range of opportunities and support to continue making their mark in their communities.

To find out more about the NCS programme or to sign up visit ncsyes.co.uk.

St Joseph’s Catholic Academy win the 2019 EFL Girls Cup!

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St Joseph’s Catholic Academy won the 2019 EFL Girls Cup on Sunday, with both themselves and Mangotsfield School putting in a performance to be proud of at the iconic Wembley Stadium.

In what was an excellent contest and a fitting end to this year’s competition, St Joseph’s – representing Checkatrade Trophy finalists Sunderland – won 3-1 against their opponents, who were representing Bristol Rovers.

Before kick-off, there was a special surprise in store, as England international Jordan Nobbs gave both teams a pre-match team talk and posed for photos.

The game itself was the perfect precursor to the Checkatrade Trophy Final, with fans of both Sunderland and Portsmouth getting behind the girls. Jess Harvey gave Mangotsfield School the lead with a superb finish, but another well-taken goal, this time from Sophie Greener for St Joseph’s, meant it was level at the break.

After the interval, Greener also claimed an assist, with a piece of individual brilliance seeing her set up Eve Parker to fire home. Parker then scored her second to seal the win and the trophy, going through on goal and slotting the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

Both sides received medals in the Royal Box after the game in recognition of their fantastic achievements in the 2018/19 Girls Cup, and St Joseph’s lifted the trophy to great applause around Wembley.

After the game, Greener said: “It feels amazing to say I’ve played at Wembley, and even better to say that I’ve scored. Meeting Jordan Nobbs before the game, someone who’s been here before, made us even more confident.”

Parker added: “Not many professional players get the chance to play at Wembley, so to play there at this age and score two goals is amazing. It feels like the whole journey has been worth it, it’s been amazing and it’s great to play with such talented girls.”

Alicia Berry, Assistant Curriculum Leader of PE at St Joseph’s Catholic Academy who was there on the day to support the girls said: “It’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling to be honest.

“I’m over the moon. It’s probably one of the proudest moments of my life to say that we have such talented girls and that they have had the opportunity to showcase their talents at a stage as big as Wembley. I’m so pleased for them.”

Everyone at the EFL Trust would like to congratulate both teams and thank them for their part in what was a memorable day for those involved.

Dec’s story: ”If you really want something and work hard, you can do anything.”

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Dec’s story

Dec Stone is a current student on the Bristol City Community Trust’s Sports Media course and is a member of the Community Trust’s Youth Council.

Dec, who is also autistic, was selected to be part of the Trust’s Youth Council – a body of eight young people who help to decide and shape the work that is conducted at the Community Trust – in the role of Media Manager as a result of his excellent social media skills.

Dec has now been a member of the council for nearly three years. Over this period of time, the council have helped the Trust to launch initiatives such as the Women’s and Girls football and fitness hub, and a Friday night social inclusion football session – which delivers football to 80 young people per session and has drastically reduced criminal activity in the area that it operates.

The work of Dec and the rest of the Youth Council has been recognized on a national level and has won both EFL and FA awards. In addition to this, the work of the Youth Council played an integral part in the Trust winning the award of Community Club of the Year in 2018 and retaining it in 2019.

When Dec first joined the Youth Council, he was quite an introverted individual who lacked self-confidence, however since then, he has grown into a confident individual and is a prominent member of the council.

Dec’s confidence has grown to such an extent that he now works on multiple Trust projects as well as holiday camps where he works as Lead Coach for several of the sessions.

Dec told Bristol City Community Tust that: “When I first started at the Youth Council, I was way out of my comfort zone. However, I did not let this dissuade me from perusing my goals, and I am so proud of all that we have achieved.

He went on to add that, “People shouldn’t really see autism as a disability or think that just because someone is autistic it means that they cannot do things. If you really want something and work hard, then you can do anything.”

 

 

“If I hadn’t done the traineeship I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.”

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After a long struggle to find work 23-year-old Daniel Halliwell has now gained employment at Rigalettos Restaurant at the DW Stadium thanks to a 12-week traineeship scheme with Wigan Athletic Community Trust.

A traineeship with the Community Trust aims to enhance the skills and experiences of unemployed young people, making them better prepared for further education or employment.

And for Kitchen Assistant Daniel, who is autistic and has always held a passion for catering, the scheme enabled him to pick up vital educational and work skills as well as improve his confidence and self-esteem.

He said: “I enjoyed the traineeship a lot because before I started it I didn’t know what to do or where to go for support with employment.

“Finding a job was really difficult and the opportunities didn’t really seem there for me, but I was referred to the traineeship after doing an employability course at Wigan Youth Zone and they thought it would be the best thing for me.”

The traineeship with the Trust offers placement opportunities in fields such as sports coaching, business administration, media and hospitality, while educational support, access to qualifications, job application support, Latics kit and bursaries are all also available to learners.

“I picked up lots of different skills during my 12 weeks on the traineeship, including gaining English and Maths qualifications and also completing a Health and Safety course which was really important for me because I wanted to work in a catering environment.  

“I was pleased to be offered a placement at Rigalettos Restaurant at the DW Stadium during my traineeship and was over the moon when it led to part-time paid work. I felt that I’d worked hard during the placement and was delighted to get a job.”

Daniel credits the support given to him by Latics as crucial in helping him to gain work and believes the traineeship scheme has helped to develop his personal attributes.

“My communication skills have improved a lot since I started working at Rigalettos and I feel like I’ve come out of my shell a lot more. I’m a lot more confident talking to people now which is important in a role such as mine.

“I’m in a real working environment now so it was important that I came out of my shell more and develop myself as a person in a busy kitchen.

“I got a lot of support from Wigan Athletic during my time on the traineeship and if I hadn’t have done it then I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.

“It’s a great feeling to be working at the DW Stadium and I get a real buzz when working on match days because it’s so busy and there’s a great atmosphere around the place.”

To find out more about traineeships visit: https://www.efltrust.com/projects/traineeships/

All Star event set to showcase EFL Trust Futsal scholars and coaches

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Following the success of last year’s EFL Trust Futsal All Star event, the best futsal scholars and coaches from the EFL Trust network will once again get the opportunity to showcase their talents at the iconic St Georges Park on Wednesday 3rd April.

The event combines the best players from the 26 EFL Community Trusts involved in futsal at EFL Clubs.

Each Club has the opportunity to nominate players and coaches to take part and represent their regional team (North, South West, Midlands and South East).

All the nominated players are aged 16-18 and are studying with an EFL Club whilst also playing futsal.

Whilst education remained their main aim, in the past, students such as Joe Kenny, Alex Turfrey and Nathan Davies went on to gain full international honours with futsal and travel the world.

Read Alex Turfrey’s story here

Mark Dick, National Futsal Development Manager at EFL Trust, said: “Last year’s event was a great success. 

“To play at the home of England Futsal at St Georges Park is a fantastic reward for students for all of their work both in the classroom and on the court.”

At this year’s event, at least one coach from each of the regional teams will have been a former player on the EFL Trust Futsal programme that has now gone onto full-time employment with their Community Trust.

Callum Avent, is a prime example of one of these coaches. As a former EFL Trust Futsal player at Peterborough United, Callum went on to securing full-time employment at the Club’s Community Trust after completing the course and undertaking a Futsal Coach Education at Level 2 and obtaining a UEFA B Futsal Licence.

Talking about Callum’s story, Nick Shepherd, Community Manager at Peterborough United said:

“Callum originally did work experience with us as a shy 15 year old, during this time he came out of his shell and had a very good work ethic. 

“He joined the EFL Trust Futsal games programme with Peterborough United at Year 12, despite not coming out of school with the best GCSE results. 

“During his 2 years on the games programme, Callum volunteered as a coach on the soccer schools programme and it became clear he had a keen interest and good potential as a coach. 

“He worked so hard at his education during the futsal course and ended 6th Form with very respectable results, and because of this we offered him a coaching apprenticeship.

“After two years, he has since become an integral part of our coaching staff and I am delighted to see him once again selected to represent the Midlands at this year’s EFL Trust All Star Event.”

The announced coaches who have been selected to represent their regions this year are:

North – Graeme Atkinson (PNE) and Declan Bacon (Scunthorpe United)

Midlands – Callum Avent (Peterborough United) and Duncan Gilchrist (Stoke City)

South East – Chris Day (Albion in the Community) and James Phillips and Ted Jones (Chelsea)

South West – Jordan Guard and Gary Bell (Bristol City) and Jack Richardson (Bristol Rovers)

Last year’s winners South West lifting the trophy

To watch highlights of last year’s EFL Trust Futsal All Star Event click here