Football as spur to youth and enterprise
27th July 2009
Jack Harding and Charlie Harding
An often-voiced criticism of football these days is the amount of money involved in it has corrupted the character of the game. This view has become ever more present recently, given the recession and economic downturn. With transfer fees such as Cristiano Ronaldo’s $80 million move from Manchester United to Real Madrid, many people are left asking, could this money have been put to better use?
However, the money involved in the modern game is not necessarily something to be frowned at when one looks at the contributions made by football clubs in their local communities. For example, Chelsea FC in the 2006/7 season invested 2.3% (£4.39 million) of their annual turnover back into the community. This amount is significantly higher than the 0.7% recommended by the United Nations.
The contributions of football clubs however are not are not solely financial. Many clubs are involved in nationwide initiatives to engage with and inspire young people. One such scheme is Kickz. The program involves 39 clubs across England as a means of engaging young people from disadvantaged areas, giving them the opportunity to play football, coach and officiate as well as workshops about the dangers of drugs and knife crime. Occupying these children with the program keeps them off the streets and the program has contributed to reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour on the nights which it runs. For many children the scheme will also give them ambitions, goals and a new direction in life.
The success of this program is a clear indicator of the immense good football can do. Of course the Kickz program is not the only scheme. Others include:
• Liverpool’s programme “Respect for all disability centres” attempts to tackle the problem of discrimination for people with disabilities.
• Sunderland’s “Fit for Footie” is a scheme designed to tackle obesity in the local community.
• Aston Villa’s ‘Villa Vitality’ health project is a scheme to raise awareness and increase tuition to primary schools about living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining it.
• Fulham’s “Inclusive activity for all” helps girls to be active and enjoy sports from a younger age and to help kids with disabilities to be active. They also train volunteers who in turn go out and help thousands of people who benefit from being active.
• Everton’s “Imagine your Goal” helps adults with learning disabilities using football as a means of learning
• Arsenal’s “Double Club Literacy and Football Courses” includes 28 schools in the surrounding community to help boost literacy levels up to higher standards and to increase participation in sporting activities.
Chelsea captain John Terry said ‘As footballers we know we can play an important role and have a responsibility to help kids in England and around the world in their health, fitness and education’. It is primarily the ‘role model factor’ which means football clubs have a lot to offer the community and its children. Their involvement with global, national and local initiatives inspires and educates thousands of young people as well as having a hand in reducing crime and obesity. More money in football also means the clubs have more money to invest into the community.
The government’s 2008 enterprise strategy ‘Unlocking the UK's Talent’ recognised the important role premier league clubs can play in inspiring young people. This is the first in a series of articles exploring the power of sport in inspiring young people to be enterprising.