A landmark agreement has been signed between the Premier League and West Midlands leaders to tackle the region's youth unemployment crisis.
A Collaborative Effort for Employment
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has secured a pioneering deal with the Premier League, the Football Association, and the charitable foundations of Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers. This collaboration aims to create pathways into employment for young people across the region.
Official figures reveal that nearly 29,000 young people in the West Midlands are currently out of work. The new partnership will support the delivery of the West Midlands Works Plan, an initiative launched by Mayor Parker earlier this month specifically designed to connect residents with jobs and training.
Football's Role in Community Development
Mayor Parker emphasised the unique position football clubs hold in the community. "In an ever-changing world, our football clubs have been a constant part of our local culture for the last 150 years, while making a huge contribution to our regional economy," he stated.
He further added that clubs, from top-flight to grassroots, are committed to giving back and offering opportunities, particularly for young people seeking new skills and careers.
Clare Sumner, Premier League chief policy and impact officer, confirmed the organisation's commitment. "The Premier League supports more than a million young people each year through our network of over 100 professional club charities," she said. This new partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority aims to create even more opportunities for the region's youth to progress and thrive.
Foundation-Led Initiatives
The charitable arms of the involved football clubs are central to the plan's execution. Guy Rippon, head of the Aston Villa Foundation, expressed delight in supporting the transition of young people into employment across Birmingham.
"We have a wide range of projects for children and young people from inner city areas," Rippon explained. "These projects help to raise aspirations and attainment, providing mentoring and support whilst offering educational programmes, training, skills and qualifications."
Will Clowes, director of the Wolves Foundation, highlighted the power of football as a unifying force. "We know that football unites people like nothing else in society – it's powerful, it's engaging and it's our common connector," he said. The foundations are aligned with the strategic priority to give local people the best chance of training, developing skills, and finding employment.
This partnership represents a significant step in leveraging the influence and community networks of professional football to address a critical social issue, offering new hope to thousands of young people in the West Midlands.
