Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community’s
The adults attended for 30 hours a week and spent mornings at The Riverside Stadium taking part in an Employability Skills qualification and afternoons at MFCiC’s Eston Academy, Southbank preparing for their FA level one course, which they completed and all passed, at the end of December 2010.
The Enterprise Academy is an educational organisation which delivers level one and two qualifications and enterprise days to 11 – 25 year olds. In partnership with Working Links, it has increased its target audience to work with adults. Jonny Willis – Lead tutor on the course said “First, I have to express how proud I am to have been so heavily involved in this project. From my point of view it has been an incredible success. I feel that all the clients (and myself) have been on a journey throughout the past number of weeks. We all started off as strangers, many coming because they wanted something to do or maybe because they fancied getting a coaching badge. However, having spoken to each individual it seems clear to me that they have gained far more than just the qualification out of it. The number of them that came up to me stating that they had been challenged to do things that they hadn’t thought they would be able to do (e.g. leading a presentation or writing a simple review) and as a result feeling so proud about their achievements was fantastic to hear.”
Michael Hamilton, an attendee of the course said “Throughout this course I have met people who will now be friends for life. I am so thankful for the opportunity to take part in the course and am proud to have been a part of it. I would advise anyone who is in the same position as I was; to take part in a course like this…it made a real difference to my life. Finally, I would like to thank everyone one involved in the running of this course.” The participants have all signed up to become volunteers for Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community where they will assist FA qualified coaches in delivery of multi-sport provision to primary school children.
Richie Ellison, Sports Development & Social Inclusion Manager for Working Links added: “The impact this course has made on those that attended has been nothing short of remarkable. In such a tough economic time and with the labour market so competitive, to use something as simple as Football to motivate people and believe in themselves has given all them all new hope. They now realise that through a Qualification, all be it in Football, gives them transferrable skills that they can take with them into any job and into everyday life. A lot of them didn’t even realise they had it in them. Working Links and Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community are immensely proud of each and every one of them.”
For further information on the work The Enterprise Academy carried out, please contact Helena Pinder on 01642 282128.
For further information on the work carried out by Working Links, please contact Richie Ellison on 0191 2936500
