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NFL Foundation UK Partners with Eight Community Organizations to Help Deliver Opportunities for Young People in London
The NFL’s UK charity, the NFL Foundation UK, has announced the names of the eight community partners it will work with in London to help tackle inequality and lack of opportunities felt by young people.
The community partners across 13 London boroughs will work with over 2,500 young people, 58% of whom are female and 75% who are from a diverse ethnic background, helping underrepresented youth have equal access to opportunities.
NFL Foundation UK will work with these community groups for the next two years. The foundation will provide NFL Flag Football programs, training, and equipment to help those aged 12–20 access positive pathways and develop the skills, confidence, and self-belief to create their own future, impact society and reach their potential.
The NFL Foundation UK launched in 2021 as part of the NFL's international charitable endeavors and a partnership with the Greater London Authority delivered £1 million to the NFL Foundation UK's work in the capital.
The NFL Foundation UK will provide funding and NFL Flag training in co-created partnerships with local community charities that seek positive outputs and outcomes for young people around education, employment, community engagement and physical and mental well-being.
"I know first-hand the important work that community organizations do in helping tackle the inequality and lack of opportunities that young people face,” said Gavin Lewis, NFL Foundation UK Trustee. “In partnership with the NFL Foundation UK, these eight organizations, through the power of sport and access to greater opportunities, will reach more young people in their communities, helping to transform lives and enable a positive long-term impact on society."
The announcement comes as the International Games are in London, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosting two of the three NFL games in 2022. The launch event, featuring youth from all eight community organizations and local schools, was held exclusively on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium pitch. NFL Flag football, football drills by expert coaches from Tottenham Hotspur, and Nike Master Trainers delivered a unique training experience for the youngsters.
"We are proud to announce the eight community partners we will work closely with in the coming years as part of our commitment to helping to address inequality in society through the power of sport, education and opportunity,” said Henry Hodgson, general manager, NFL UK. "These eight organizations are already doing incredibly important work in their communities, and together we are excited about the potential to further impact the lives of youngsters in the UK through the NFL Foundation UK."
The NFL Foundation UK has opened a new application process for charities across the UK to reach communities beyond London as the program expands.
To register, please visit here.
Here are the eight community groups partnering with NFL Foundation UK:
Training 40 youth to become NFL Flag leaders to work throughout communities.
Female-focused NFL Flag program, delivering support to 11–18-year-olds, combating physical and mental inequalities.
Co-designing a new inclusive NFL Flag program with young people, aimed at marginalized groups.
Integrating NFL Flag into their existing Breaking Barriers program which combines sport with youth work, mentoring and informal education support.
Combining NFL Flag with educational and personal development activities to train a group of women aged 17–20 to be peer leaders.
Providing NFL Flag sessions in and around Tottenham, Haringey. Focusing on development of life skills, physical and mental well-being, and employability.
Establishing a sport program through the introduction of NFL Flag for young people currently housed in their youth hostels to increase confidence, life skills and building physical and mental well-being.
Launching "Touchdown Southall" which brings NFL Flag to young members of the community. The project will include weekly sessions alongside workshops and volunteer training.
For more information, head to the NFL Foundation UK website.
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