Co-funded Program Will Equip Community Organisations To Deliver Football-Based Employability Programs
LONDON, 25 March, 2019—FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, and the UEFA Foundation for Children today announce a co-funded community project that will use football as a tool to attract and engage young adults in employability programs.
A charitable grant, awarded under community investment platform FedEx Cares and matched by UEFA Foundation for Children, will build the capacity of local sports organisations to structure and deliver football-based employability 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 - Policy Centre for Roma and Minorities (Romania), the Oltalom Sport Association (Hungary) and Sport Against Racism (Ireland) and Sport 4 Life (UK).
“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, 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 that aim to promote self-confidence and job-seeking skills and training 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, 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.
“We’re equally excited to see how football can be used in the context of employability, opening up increased opportunities for young people who may not see an obvious path to employment.”
FedEx Express has collaborated on community projects with the UEFA Foundation for Children since becoming a sponsor of the UEFA Europa League in 2015.