Millwall Community Trust former Alternative Provision Academy Students and current Training Ground Programme trainees Reece Endicott and Alysia Marcangelo as well as training Ground and mentoring officer Ophelie Zahui attended the EFL in the Community Strategy launch event.
The impactful story of football and community was showcased in London earlier this month at the EFL’s ‘Community Changemakers – inspiring and impacting communities’ event at the Victory Services Club in Marble Arch.
Since the Football League began in 1888, Clubs have held a privileged and prestigious place in the heart of communities. Today, more than 135 years later, Clubs are as important as they ever have been to the respective towns and cities they serve across England and Wales, delivering greater impact than ever before.
Through its charitable arm, EFL in the Community, previously named EFL Trust, the League has made tremendous strides in supporting communities both economically and socially, and now with a refreshed vision and focus, the aim is to build on these foundations via a new community strategy which was launched during the event.
The EFL in the Community strategy for 2024-2029 outlines the EFL’s commitment to enhancing its impact in communities, ensuring it continues to evolve and change lives for the better.
Ophelie Zahui spoke about her career journey after starting at the Trust initially as part of the DWP JCP Kickstart Programme, whilst Reece Endicott and Alysia Marcangelo talked through their story since joining the Trust and the positive progress they have made from attending the Millwall Alternative provision academy programme and most recently on the Training ground programme.
The EFL Trust’s Training Ground programme is aimed at young people who are struggling to get that critical first step on the employment ladder. The initiative is aimed at young people that are trapped in the vicious circle of not being able to find meaningful employment because they do not have the skills or experience that they can only gain by being in work.
Ophelie Zahui said: “Despite having a degree, I found it really hard to get into work, especially because of the pandemic. I saw the Kick Start programme advertised at Millwall Football Club and got a job working on the traineeship programme. Since then, I’ve become a Traineeship Officer, a New Deals for Young people mentor, a premier league intervention mentor and most recenting a Training ground Employability mentor, helping other young people who are trying hard to get into work. I mentor Reece and Alysia who have been real success stories for the programme and themselves.”
Alysia Marcangelo added: “I first went to Millwall when I was in year 10. At college I was struggling to get the grades I wanted and my confidence was suffering.
“I was effectively unemployed and could not see how I could continue into the next year of my course, however, the guidance and mentoring form Millwall Community Trust helped me to get onto the level 1 football coaching course and gave me my confidence back which meant I could back to college.”
Reece Endicott continued: “I’m a Millwall season ticket holder and I love football. I found school difficult but at Millwall they helped me with my social skills and lots of other things. Working with the Trust and doing my work experience role has been very good for me.
“I was a lot different to who I am now when I first went to Millwall. I was shy and quiet and I didn’t know what I was doing. They've helped me so much and I’ve realised I want to work in the media. I could never repay Millwall for everything they’ve done for me.”
To find out more about the EFL Strategy Launch event, visit: https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gc-media-assets.gc.eflservices.co.uk/579e2970-7037-11ef-a31a-f739e7e69c7b.pdf
