AFC Fylde Community Foundation is celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of trainees from its Striking Futures Traineeship Programme.
Three trainees have successfully completed the 12-week course, achieving AQA Vocational Level 2 qualifications in topics such as Principles of Coaching Sport, Leadership and Community Development.
Launched in March this year to help teens gain employment, the traineeship primarily focuses on sports courses. One participant, Jack Ashton, obtained an FA Level 1 coaching badge and is currently working towards a Level 2 coaching badge, as part of the programme.
Jack, 17, from Poulton, and fellow graduates Elliott Cheetham and Jai James were also paid £50 per week while on the course.
Since completion, Jai has gone into further education, while Jack and Elliott have secured paid employment and further education, with Jack securing a part-time coaching role at the Foundation.
This month, the next cohort of trainees will embark on the programme, which is being delivered at Mill Farm Sports Village.
The programme will also help participants develop confidence as well as leadership and organisational skills.
Throughout the next 12 months, a further 60 places will be available to participants aged between16-24 years from the Fylde Coast.
The traineeship is being delivered by the Foundation’s extended services team and is currently open to applicants.
Tom Hutton, director of community development at the AFC Fylde Community Foundation, said: “The success of the Striking Futures Traineeship Programme is testament to the hard work of the trainees and the coaches at the Foundation.
“We’re thrilled with the results so far and we’re looking forward to training and developing the skills of even more young people from the local community, as we welcome our next cohort onto the programme.”
AFC Fylde Community Foundation’s education partners, Cuadrilla and Centrica, are supporting the programme as part of their ongoing collaboration.
Francis Egan, Cuadrilla’s CEO, commented: “We are delighted, as part of our ongoing commitment to the local community, to have provided The Foundation with financial support to be able to continue to deliver this fantastic educational programme.
“We’re confident that initiatives such as Striking Futures will make a real difference by reaching those children who will benefit the most from it.”
