Arsenal in the Community deliver a range of programmes that aim to help young people and vulnerable adults who are most in need of support.
Alternative Education
Arsenal in the Community have a long track record of working in local alternative education settings to support young people who are at risk of exclusion from mainstream settings, as well as those who have been excluded and now attend Pupil Referral Units.
These settings are extremely important because they support young people who have often faced challenges at a young age. Working to prevent a school exclusion and keep young people in mainstream education is a top priority for them to receive the best education possible. For those who are excluded, supporting their development for them to continue their education is integral to giving them a positive next step in their journey once they finish year 11.
Our staff deliver weekly activities to the students, part educational and part practical, which provide the young people with support across a range of different topics as well as the opportunity to complete accredited qualifications. This helps provide young people with a sense of achievement where it can often be lacking.
We work with settings in Islington, Camden and Hackney as our local boroughs.
Referrals
Arsenal in the Community work closely with statutory services in Islington, Hackney and Camden to accept referrals of young people who are in need of additional support or would benefit from an intervention programme.
Referrals are received by our Youth Engagement Officer, who meets with the referral partner and young person to understand the needs of the young person and how we can support them best.
The offer of support is varied and tailored to the needs of the young person for example, some young people are provided with mentoring, others are supported through personal development courses and where appropriate young people are integrated into our wider community programmes such as Positive Futures and Kicks.
Due to demand, we accept referrals from Islington, Hackney and Camden only.
Twinning
The Twinning project is a national project in which professional football clubs are paired with their local prison to deliver football coaching and leadership courses.
Arsenal in the Community have delivered several initiatives in Pentonville prison since the early 2000s with a focus on education, employment and programmes to help maintain family relationships while in prison.
Research has shown that where adults serving a custodial sentence have been reunited with their family on release and/or found employment, the likelihood of re-offending has decreased.
Our coaches deliver two five-week programmes per year as part of the Twinning project at Pentonville. Each cohort comprises 15 adults who have been selected by the prison staff and have expressed an interest in taking part in the course.
This programme provides those who take part with a positive focus while also developing their leadership and communication skills, which can be transferred into all works of life rather than solely football coaching.
The participants take part in ten sessions where they are supported through a FA coaching workbook that covers a range of coaching topics including: the fundamentals of coaching, how to prepare a session and player ownership. On release, the participants complete their FA Safeguarding and First Aid certificates. With all of these elements combined, the participant is issued with their Introduction to Football Coaching qualification.
