The Leeds United Foundation have launched a new exciting partnership with Carr Manor Community School and the Premier League Charitable Fund to invest in a career’s advice and opportunity programme.

The Professional Footballers Association are helping to support the project through funding which will help it to continue to develop over the next year. This inspiring new relationship will see the club’s official charity build a sustainable Careers Information and Guidance initiative to support and encourage young people within the local community to gain a range of opportunities, which include:

• Engaging with young people to develop important life skills,
• Increase their knowledge around the variety of opportunities, and
• Help guide them to make the right decisions that will impact their future career path.

Foundation coaches will be leading the new partnership for the club and they will be based at Carr Manor Community School to work alongside the staff to provide the students with extra support and exciting opportunities.

The first exciting project that has been organised was a Careers Day at Elland Road for Year 11 students. The aim of the day was to provide the students with an overview of the diversity of roles within the club, the Academy and the Foundation. The day started with introductions and a brief insight into the roles, after this the students had a chance to break off and speak face to face with key staff that work within the club.

Primary Choices, Disability, Media and Hospitality teams were on hand to offer their own personal experiences of their career paths, offering an insight into their role within the club and their day to day tasks. The students were then able to ask questions of the staff who inspired and encouraged the young students to think more openly about different careers within organisations.

Nigel Thewlis, the Head of Secondary Education at the Leeds United Foundation, said: "This was a great opportunity to engage and inspire these students that have had it pretty tough educationally over recent months and we were able to see them in situ, at the club and give them an inspiring day out at Elland Road.

"Hopefully it has shown them that Leeds United is more than just the pitch! It is a vibrant all-encompassing power house of career pathways."

Becky Reall, the Destinations and Post 16 Manager at Carr Manor Community School, added: "The day at Leeds United was so informative both for our pupils and myself. It was great to see how engaged all the pupils were in the day and it was really interesting to see the different career options at Leeds United, giving our pupils an insight into certain jobs they could do.

"Some of the pupils went to the event not having a clue about their pathway and came out with a definite interest and goal to work towards. I cannot wait for the next event."

One of the Year 11 students in attendance, Payge Wellington, also said: "The trip with the Leeds United Foundation opened my insights of how I want to move forward with my life and what I want to do around different careers. The day explained that you don’t have to go down your favourite route, if you do not make your first choice there’s always other routes."

For more information on the new careers programme within the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Nigel.Thewlis@leedsunited.com.