Fulham FC Partner with Barclays to Develop New Employment Strategy for Local People

Fulham FC Foundation and Barclays Spaces for Sports (BS4S) have announced a new three-year partnership that sees the two organisations collaborating to provide a football and sport employability development programme for local people.

Targeting young people not in education, shop employment or training (NEETS), capsule it aims to increase employment opportunities for 300 16-25 year olds by helping them develop life skills such as communication and team work, as well as giving them work related training. 

With a £350,000 investment from Barclays, young people in Surrey and South, West and Central London will take part in a series of 10 week programmes providing the opportunity to improve employability skills and confidence and gain accreditations to help them enter or return to the labour market. Participants will benefit from a range of interventions, including: work related learning (through volunteering), CV writing workshops, careers talks and tours, money  management skills, literacy/numeracy/IT lessons alongside sporting activity. Barclays employees will be encouraged to volunteer to mentor participants in the programme. 

Fulham FC Foundation has designed this bespoke football and sport employability programme in partnership with BS4S and will engage with local small and medium size businesses to facilitate employment opportunities for graduates of the programme. 

David Wheldon, Head of Brand, Reputation and Citizenship, Barclays commented: “As part of our Citizenship agenda Barclays plays a broader role in the communities in which we live and work beyond what we deliver through our core business activities; we do this through community investment programmes and the direct efforts of our employees. By empowering young people with appropriate skills we can help them achieve economic independence and security now and in the future.  We are delighted to be partnering with Fulham FC Foundation on this unique programme which brings together the independent interests and expertise of each organisation to do just that.” 

Steven Day, Chief Executive, Fulham FC Foundation said: “Fulham FC Foundation is very excited to be working with such a prestigious organisation as Barclays. This innovative new programme underlines the club’s philosophy of working alongside the local community to assist in ‘building better lives through sport’. This programme adds another element to our portfolio of sports and education activities, through which we engage with in excess of 6,000 young people a month.  We will use our expertise in this field to ensure that this project and partnership is a great success. We will hopefully start to see this through the development of the young people in and around London who are participating, gaining employability skills and are supported to get back into work or training.” 

Danny Murphy, Fulham Football Club Captain added: “This fantastic new three-year project partnership between the Fulham FC Foundation and Barclays Spaces for Sports will help young people to enhance their skill sets to either get back into a training programme or to gain employment. To see two well-known organisations using the power of football to develop and deliver a rewarding programme is very encouraging, and I am delighted to support it.”

by Ismail Uddin