KICKS ACTIVATION WITH TEENAGERS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

Young people from three football foundations came together recently to take part in a special Premier League Kicks session during activation week. Teenagers representing Sunderland, Newcastle, Middlesbrough Foundation and Young Asian Voices were joined by staff from Northumbria Police, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue and North East Ambulance Service who helped inspire the youngsters and take part in the session. Premier League Kicks gives young people access to free football and sport sessions along with workshops, providing them with opportunities, support and pathways to achieve their full potential.  It sees Foundation of Light community staff work closely with young people and authorities in the local area, including the emergency services. The Foundation of Light has been delivering Kicks in the community for over 10 years, helping to engage young people in hard to reach areas through the power of football.

Kicks is one of the flagship programmes we deliver to youngsters in the region and has shown great results such as reducing anti-social behaviour in the community.  I would like to thank staff from the emergency services who have attended today and taken part

Dave Jeffries, Foundation of Light’s Kicks Coordinator

Committing to the community programme, the Premier League will fund Kicks for the next three years, enabling more than 175,000 young people to access activities across the country by 2022. Support from Premier League will see the programme grow so 90 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs are able to deliver sport and education sessions in hundreds of local communities where projects are needed the most, with a focus on integration, equality and inclusion. Aimed at eight to 18 year olds, Kicks engages young people in positive activities through their passion for football and sport whilst also addressing topics covering everything from equality and inclusion to youth violence and knife crime. Foundation of Light has a strong track record of helping reduce anti-social behaviour through the project with one site in Chester-le-Street reduced youth anti-social behaviour by 80% over five years, generating a saving to the public purse of £320,000. Support was provided by Greggs, Sainsbury, Tesco, Salvation Army and Sunderland City Council.