Action Day – Employability
The COVID-19 pandemic has a severe effect on the labour market. Many businesses are struggling and young people face difficulties to find (student) jobs.
Football organisations have implemented a huge variety of projects that promote employability and connect (young) people with sponsors and partners in the past. In the last months, clubs, leagues and FAs have launched online activities to prepare young people for the job market or help unemployed supporters to find new jobs or education programmes. Let’s show these initiatives and announce our continued support for the local community.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Community Trust are providing out-of-work youngsters with the chance to get on the jobs ladder as part of the government’s Kickstart scheme. Rovers are one of over 65 EFL clubs to have signed up, offering six-month work placements to young people aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit – with the aim to give them the opportunity to build their skills in the workplace and to gain experience to improve their chances of finding long-term work. Vacancies at clubs and their charitable arms will include business admin, sports coaches, marketing, ground staff, finance, youth work, graphic design, film and photography, HR and data administration roles. The scheme targets young people who have been hit especially hard by the Coronavirus pandemic and focuses on giving them the best possible chance of getting a job.
Newcastle United Foundation
Newcastle United Foundation is teaming up with some of the North East’s top employers to help young people start a professional career in the construction industry. Through a growing network of North East employers, the Foundation’s Employability team have been continuing to support 18 to 29-year-olds into employment, training, and educational opportunities through the pandemic and are now launching a new programme, PlanBEE Kick Off. PlanBEE Kick Off is a newly-developed strand of the award-winning PlanBEE (Built Environment Education) programme, developed by Ryder, Gateshead College and a consortium of companies across the sector, to inspire young adults into technical and professional roles in architecture, engineering, building services and construction or site management.
FC Basel 1893
FC Basel 1893 is the first football club to enter into a partnership with the Athletes Network. The network, of which former FC Basel player Beni Huggel is a member of the founding team, aims to help professional athletes make a successful transition into post-sport careers under the claim ” By athletes for athletes”. The FCB hopes that this sustainable approach – as part of its social responsibility – will provide support for affected players in the junior and women’s divisions and the first team. The transition to post-sport careers is a complex and not easily mastered change for athletes who have been strongly focused on sport for a large part of their lives. Personal goals have to be redefined, the much acclaimed sporting performance suddenly no longer counts. The whole environment is changing, the challenges are of a completely different nature than in previous years.
EFDN STEM Football & Education programme
The EFDN STEM Football & Education Programme is a pan-European project selected for financial support from UEFA Foundation for Children aiming to promote STEM Education amongst European youth. STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – is the field that helps children learn how to program, make codes, and understand technological devices. Statistics tell us there are currently more than a million job vacancies in the STEM industry, while at the same time only 16% of college students graduate in STEM fields or subjects. Demand for STEM jobs increased three times between 2000 and 2010, and continues to grow, with many new fields and professions emerging each day. With the support of project partner Sphero and their supplemental resources, EFDN plans to deliver STEM Education programmes across Europe using the power of football to keep children engaged and committed to learning.
IDEAS FOR #MORETHANFOOTBALL ACTIVITIES:
- Celebrate employability organisations in your community
- Highlight projects that support employability in your community
- Highlight your own programmes, including apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational qualifications, one-to-one employment support, and more
- Online meeting with sponsors and people that are searching for jobs or education
- Hosting webinars/online meetings to share employability resources
- Wherever possible, create social media content (photos/videos) with beneficiaries of your employability programmes
Please use #morethanfootball and feel free to tag our #Morethanfootball social media accounts so we can share your posts and activities.
