BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE WORKS LAUNCHES AT THE EMIRATES

Barclays and the Premier League have launched a jointly funded community scheme that will be rolled out through 20 football clubs across the country.

Launched at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Barclays Premier League Works will use football to engage young people who are not often involved in education, training or employment. The programme will provide young people with financial skills, confidence and experience with the aim of helping them to make a positive transition back into education and employment.

Arsenal, Everton, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland all piloted the scheme last season, resulting in 116 young people being engaged across the five clubs, with 89 of those graduating into work or education. A further 4,000 young people received money skills workshops delivered by the Community Champions - the young people successfully trained through Barclays Premier League Works.

Barclays and the Premier League will develop the scheme across 17 current Barclays Premier League clubs and three Championship clubs who were in the top flights last season. Barclays and the Premier League will aim to reach over 500 young people across the 20 clubs, with those Community Champions passing their knowledge onto a further 10,000 youngsters.

Commenting on the initiative, Paulette Cohen, head of global programmes, Barclays said: ‘We’ve committed to changing five million young futures through programmes like Barclays Premier League Works, giving the next generation access to the enterprise, employability and financial skills they need to achieve their ambitions. We know that sport can be a powerful tool to engage young people, and we’re delighted to be working with the Premier League to get young people in our communities into work or training.’

Simon Morgan, head of community development, Premier League, added: ‘It’s great that Barclays and the Premier League have come together to launch Barclays Premier League Works at 20 professional football clubs across the UK. The scheme represents a genuine chance for young people to develop life changing skills that will really enhance their employment prospects and their chances of going onto further education.'

Once young people are identified as being suitable for Barclays Premier League Works they are then referred to their local club by one of the employment or youth agencies involved with that club.