Edinburgh College students kick-off careers with footie course
A group of young lads are celebrating after passing a new football themed course, which sees unemployed people completing coaching courses and SQA units, combined with work skills and personal development to kick-start their careers.
Football Works is delivered by Street Soccer Scotland, a Social Enterprise which uses football to inspire adults and young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, and Edinburgh College in partnership with several organisations. The free course is open to anyone who is unemployed and 16 years old and over. During the course, students learned training skills with Street Soccer Scotland coaches, gained essential communication skills in the classroom and achieved an SQA qualification in Communications and Working With Others.
25-year-old Football Works student John Brash from Tranent said: “I’ve always been a football fan and have played for several teams, so this seemed like the perfect course for me while I’ve been out of work.”-
“We learned lots of new skills and I enjoyed learning how to teach young people how to stretch, dribble and pass. One of the highlights for me was learning how to write essays. I was never good at English in school and this made me a bit more confident in my writing.”
John added:-“Up until yesterday I was homeless but I’ve now found temporary accommodation in Tranent. My partner has a baby on the way, and I’m looking into doing a training course at Edinburgh College as well as volunteering to help out with the next Football Works course, so I’m looking forward to the next steps in my life.”
Fellow student Declan Quinn, 18 years old from Tranent but currently living in Port Seton, said:- “I really enjoyed the course. The best part was putting what I’d learned into practice by training p7s from Prestonpans Primary School.”
A key aim of the 8-week course is building employment skills, which includes work placements with local schools and partners such as Edinburgh Leisure and Dunedin Canmore Housing Association.
Edinburgh College Learning Assistant, Louise Grace, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the boys have passed their course and now have an SQA qualification under their belts.”
“Their love of football really brought them all together and taught them valuable new skills. It’s been a pleasure to teach them and I can see that they have bright futures ahead of them.”
Street Soccer Scotland, Founder and Chief Executive David Duke said, “We are pleased with the success of the recent Football Works courses in East Lothian. Hearing the stories of how John and Declan have used the course to the benefit of the community and their own personal development is inspiring for all of us.
“We hope that many more people can access Football Works on their journey into positive destinations. We are also pleased to have great partners such as Edinburgh College, Dunedin Canmore Group and Edinburgh Leisure who add so much to the course.”
The group of students took part in the football course at the Pennypit Centre in Prestonpans and the Bleaching Fields in Dunbar. The next Football Works course in East Lothian will begin soon and there are also regular Football Works course running across Edinburgh. Please visit www.streetsoccerscotland.org for more information about the Football Works course.
Edinburgh College also offers a wide variety of Skills Development Scotland courses for those aged between 16- 24 years. Please visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for further information and to apply.
Photography caption: (Top L to R) Street Soccer Scotland coaches Ally Dawson and Robert Hare, Football Works students Declan Quinn, Warren Leitch, Brandon West and Street Soccer Scotland coaches Andy Hook and Scott Hollinshead.
(Bottom L to R): Football Works students Jamie Stewart, John Brash, Steven Batchelor and Dean Lawrie.
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What a waste of taxpayers cash, gosh they should be attempting to get a job or sign up for a training course that will give them a better chance of a career, they could play football and gain so called coaching skills in any public park, get real.
Easy enough to SAY get a job!! Not so easy to get one, thats my little brother in the pic and improud of him for at least doing something not sitting on his backside hes doing something productive aswell as courses to better himself!
In reply to “M James” . I think you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s hard for young people to find work these days. I’ve had work here and there but nothing I could make a carer out of. Attending and completing the street soccer football works course has been the best experience I’ve had ever had in my adult life. The coaches and staff are great people and it was such a good experience to feel apart of something meaningful. Before football works I had no idea what carer path I wanted to go down in life , but with a little guidance and confidence boost from the staff I have now went forward and been accepted for SVQ 2 fitness instructor course at Edinburgh college a course that I wouldn’t of had the qualifications to do if I had never done football works. So now am I not only heading in the right direction I’m confident and have targets and goals to make all thanks to the street soccer Scotland coaches and staff. Excellent people and many thanks to all involved.
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