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In 2020, the �������� Trust will double its network and reach to engage over 24,000 young people aged 16 and 17 each year through its network of Club Community Organisations (CCOs), delivering National Citizen Service (NCS), a 4 week programme funded by the Government.��

The �������� Trust won the contract to deliver NCS from 2020 onwards more than doubling its delivery partners to 66 that will include 43 �������� CCOs, 11 Premier League Club CCOs and 12 youth organisations from across the country. NCS is one of the fastest growing youth programmes engaging 500,000 young people since piloting in 2009. The NCS experience will give young people a clearer idea of what they want from their future. They will take on fresh challenges, get a taste of independence and be given a platform to have their voices heard and deliver a social action project that will positively impact their local area.

The �������� Trust has have been involved in NCS since the pilot stages in 2011 engaging with over 60,000 young people during that time. Over 1.8 million hours of voluntary work has been delivered addressing local and national issues which young people are passionate about such as mental health, the environment and plastic waste.

Matthew Wimberley graduated NCS with Barnsley Football Club in 2019 and believes that the programme has change his life;

“I am a different person since doing NCS. It’s an impossible feeling to truly communicate without having experienced it first-hand but what I can say is you will feel fundamentally different in the best way possible. I’m closer to people I met on NCS after 4 weeks than people I’ve known for 4 years I now have all these amazing unforgettable memories that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.

I spent my time on NCS challenging myself and doing things I really wasn’t comfortable doing, but couldn’t help being anything other than proud of myself afterwards.”

Parents and Guardians have recognised the impact NCS has had on young people. Lisa Murray, parent of NCS graduate from Pompey in the Community (Portsmouth FC) was amazed of the difference it has had on her daughter;

“The experience my daughter gained during the 4 week programme surpassed all our expectations and it was great to see her grow in confidence and social awareness throughout this period. This programme is a superb way to help modern children learn new skills, become more confident and understand the community they live in. I know this experience will remain with my daughter for the rest of her life.”

Mike Evans, Director of Operations, �������� Trust, is delighted with the amount of Football Clubs involved in NCS going forward saying;

“The �������� Trust’s vision is to create a stronger, healthier more active communities and we see the delivery of NCS as a significant part of achieving this.

��We are delighted to be able to grow our supply chain of Club Community Organisations and youth organisations involved in NCS and are proud of the impact we have had through NCS so far. Supporting thousands of young people as they transition into adulthood and then in turn make a positive difference in their community is something to be immensely proud of, and we look forward to continuing that in the future.”

Chief Executive of NCS Trust, Michael Lynas said

“I’m incredibly proud of everything that NCS has achieved in the last ten years. As it moves into the next phase of its life, I’m confident NCS can make a more significant difference for our young people and their communities than ever before.”

Wigan Athletic captain Samy Morsy attended one of Latics’ Premier League Kicks sessions at Wigan Youth Zone on Monday evening.

The weekly football session is for young people aged 8-16 who attend Wigan Mosque, with the visit part of the club’s equality and diversity programme Together, and in support of Kick it Out.

Latics captain Morsy helped youngsters with their football skills during the session and says it’s great to be able to create opportunities for Wigan’s Muslim community and, in particular, 8-16-year olds looking to develop their football skills.

He said: “It’s been amazing to be honest. It’s about raising awareness to the local community and the Muslim community too.

“For the kids to come and be able to play and enjoy their football, it gets them involved and they’ve had a great time and hopefully they can continue to enjoy playing football.

“Everyone should have the right to play freely and it’s not always like that, but being in football we can do something about that.”

Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest will see Latics celebrate the work of Kick it Out and the Together programme and Samy says it’s important to get all communities involved in football.

“It’s an important message to offer opportunities to an under-represented group and there has been boys here today from all around the world.

“It’s about them enjoying the football and enjoying their free time. They are lovely people, great souls and are really happy and that is great to see.”

Through the Kicks programme, Wigan Athletic Community Trust provide free football and sports opportunities for over 1,000 young people a year between the ages of 8- 19, in five different areas of Wigan.

During 2018-19, 1,498 young people took people took part in Kicks, 25% of which were girls.

Labour MP for Wigan, Lisa Nandy, was also present at the Kicks session and was able to meet some of the young people.

She added: “I met some of the boys taking part and it is amazing to see them grow in confidence. I don’t think many of them would have had this opportunity if the Community Trust and Wigan Athletic as a whole hadn’t reached out to the Mosque and made contact.

“We are really lucky in Wigan to have that, because I know from speaking to colleagues in Parliament that many clubs don’t go to those great lengths to reach out to groups who are underrepresented in football.

“It shows once again that Wigan are leading the way in trying to bring new groups into football and keep the game going and reaching out to more young people and also changing lives.”

The scheme aims to help create stronger, safer communities by developing young people’s potential and also includes health and lifestyle workshops including dangers of drugs and alcohol and knife crime, and involvement can lead to volunteering, qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities for participants.

Emad Sawesi, 10, regularly attends the session at the Wigan Youth Zone.

He said: “I’ve been coming for about a year and a half and it’s great as you can play football with other players from the Wigan community and playing with them is enjoyable.

“It’s a sport that is my favourite and I have always loved a lot. Also being able to meet a player like Samy Morsy was a dream come true as well.”

The free sessions for young people from Wigan Mosque run every Monday between 5pm-6pm at Wigan Youth Zone.

For more information on Kicks, please contact Wigan Athletic Community Trust’s Senior Community Development Co-ordinator Steve Eastwood by calling 01942 318090 or emailing [email protected].

As part of Black History Month, City players Korey Smith, Saikou Janneh, and Abi Harrison attended a Q+A session with the group of youngsters.

The group of Greenfield E-ACT academy students – who work with the Robins Foundation on their Premier League Primary Stars programme – were invited to the question and answers session as part of Black History Month.

The day aimed to raise awareness about the importance of diversity in both football and society as a whole and provided a chance for the youngsters to learn first-hand about some of the challenges faced by the players.

Bristol City Robins Foundation Premier League Primary Stars lead coach, James Howiantz, told the foundation, “We have used today to show the importance of celebrating diversity. We want to ensure that young people in our community are educated to appreciate the variety of cultures and races in society.��

“Black History Month allows people to shine a light on the achievements of black people and to learn what discriminatory challenges are faced on a daily basis. The children here today have been extremely fortunate to hear some very open and honest comments on this topic.”

Korey Smith told the Foundation, “I think it is brilliant that these young people are learning about diversity.”

“When I was younger you never used to hear anything on the subject unless it was in your own house.”��

Abi Harrison commented, “I think having this topic taught in schools is really positive, and it is so important that they learn about this now so that the challenges that people of our generation faced don’t happen again.”

To mark World Mental Health Day 2019 on Thursday, a football tournament was held at Prenton Park’s Recreation Centre in partnership with Wirral Ways to Recovery and Tranmere Rovers In the Community.

Also in attendance for the tournament were A New Approach, Knowsley CGL, and Spider Project.

Wirral Ways to Recovery provides drug and alcohol users with fast and easy to access treatment and support, with regular football sessions held weekly by Tranmere Rovers In the Community (TRIC).

Ray Smith, from Wirral Ways to Recovery, said: “We’ve come together today because of World Mental Health Day, we have brought agencies from around Merseyside, the Wirral and Tameside, and a lot of the lads playing have had problems with mental health.

“We get together once a week at Tranmere through Wirral Ways, and we try our hardest to keep the lads on the straight and narrow, and it helps with their mental health and their physical health.”

Shaun Garnett, Tranmere Rovers’ first-team defensive coach, shared his own personal story, and says that’s Rovers’ work in the Wirral community is important.

He added: “It is a great cause, and it’s a cause that I fully back through my brother being mentally ill, he was diagnosed with bipolar in 2003 so if it is something that I can support through my job, I’ll always do it.

“Tranmere do great work, Steve and all the rest of the gang in the community, they work extremely hard, whether it be mental health or Alzheimer’s, whatever it may be, and whatever cause it may be, it just highlights it and attracts a little bit of attention, so if people end up coming and it helps them, well then it’s a worthwhile exercise.”

Liam Elliott, Wirral Ways to Recovery participant, explained how sessions at Tranmere Rovers has helped him make new friends.

Liam said: “I’ve always been a lover of football, and I’ve got anxiety, depression, paranoia and schizophrenia, and it’s a great way to come and meet new friends, I’d rather be out than sitting in on my own and it gets us all out and about.”

The Club’s staff have a planned training with Mind Charity. This is ongoing.

To learn more about TRIC and the work that they do, please��.��