FEDEX AND UEFA TO FOCUS ON ‘FOOTBALL FOR EMPLOYABILITY’ IN EUROPE
March 29, 2019
Earlier this week, FedEx Express and the UEFA Foundation for Children announced a co-funded community project that will use football to attract and engage young adults in employability programs.
A charitable grant, awarded under community investment platform FedEx Cares and matched by the Foundation, will build the capacity of local sports organisations to structure and deliver the programs in their communities.
The project will be overseen by global non-profit streetfootballworld and delivered on the ground by network member organisations in four locations – Romania (Policy Centre for Roma and Minorities), Hungary (Oltalom Sport Association), Ireland (Sport Against Racism) and the UK (Sport 4 Life).
“Due to its universal popularity, football gives community organisations a wide reach and provides a common platform to engage with young people who face challenging circumstances,” said Dr. Vladimir Borkovic, Director of streetfootballworld. “This program will equip sports organisations with the tools to guide young people who are furthest from the job market into education, training and, ultimately, sustainable employment.”
The program includes personal development workshops to promote self-confidence and job-seeking skills, and trainings that offer an overview of the local job market and how to gain access to it. Finally, the programs will provide access to training opportunities, formal qualifications and job placements that present an opportunity to secure sustainable employment.
“FedEx Express is eager to make the most of the possibilities we have, as a sponsor, to deliver positive impact in communities touched by professional tournaments,” said Brenda McWilliams-Piatek, Vice President of Marketing Operations, FedEx Express Europe.
“We’ve worked closely with the UEFA Foundation for Children to shape a football-based employability program that we hope will deliver a tangible benefit in communities where employability of young adults is a pressing challenge.”
“This new phase in our collaboration perfectly balances our own focus area of children’s rights – the right to an education, the right to play – and combines this with FedEx Express’ interest in employability,” said Urs Kluser, UEFA Foundation for Children.
FedEx Express has collaborated on community projects with the UEFA Foundation for Children since becoming a sponsor of the UEFA Europa League in 2015.
This project uses sport to address UN Sustainable Development Goal #8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth. Learn more about Beyond Sport’s commitment to the Global Goals here.