It might not be coming home but football’s helping vulnerable children
St Mirren Football Club have launched their first ever traineeship with Kibble’s Skills Academy.
The football club have been working with Kibble, a charity that supports at risk children and young people aged between five and 26 across the UK, for many years, but have now decided to introduce a new apprenticeship-inspired Groundskeeper Traineeship for the young people at the Skills Academy.
This opportunity is more than just a sporting apprenticeship. Organisers have claimed that individuals will be trained to operate heavy machinery while learning valuable skills in a professional environment as well as gain an internationally recognised IHasco certification – the Interactive Health & Safety Company. What’s more the trainee will be responsible for maintaining the pristine condition of the football grounds.
Likewise, such a heavy focus on young workforce development has created placements within the Scottish premiership club. Young people have completed ball attendant training and begun catering and hospitality experience on match days at St Mirren’s SMISA Stadium.
In addition, whilst the future of England’s Euro’s doesn’t look too promising, the wider football scene in Scotland has been undergoing an upgrade. Under the new scheme, young people have worked alongside their instructors to update St Mirren’s first team changing room, academy player’s changing rooms and referee’s facilities.
Most recently young people at Kibble’s Skills academy have started transforming the first team dressing room, creating a bespoke and modern environment for the players to prepare themselves for the match ahead. The renovation has included joinery work and is a continuation of the redecoration project previously completed by young people when they painted the dressing room in the club’s iconic black and white stripes.
Commenting on the news, Mark Macmillan, director of corporate services at Kibble, said: ‘Entering the world of work can be daunting for young people, but we try to break down barriers for those who attend The Skills Academy, both from within Kibble’s own services and from the wider community. Our partnership with St Mirren has been transformational for The Skills Academy as it offers tangible experiences, learning opportunities and in some cases employment.
‘Having access to a premiership football team has motivated our young people. It’s great to add a new paid traineeship to our growing list of collaborative projects with the club which provide such meaningful opportunities for young people.’
Keith Lasley, chief operating officer at St Mirren, added: ‘Our partnership is about bringing meaningful change to young people of Kibble and to those within the wider Paisley community.
‘The paid traineeship role is the first of its kind, and we’re proud to be able to facilitate these valuable opportunities for young people in our community.’
‘We are extremely grateful for young people and their instructors using their skillset to complete renovation projects,’ Keith explained. ‘All work completed thus far has been to an exceptional standard. The focus on youth employability forms part of our wider ambitions and exciting future plans to be the best community centred club in Scotland.’
Image: Wesley Tingey
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