INTRODUCING OUR YOUTH BOARD

At Bloomsbury Football, we know we are nothing without our players. After all, how can we hope to change the lives of young people in London, without having enthusiastic young people at our sessions??

The team are always amazed by the continued willingness of our players to develop skills, on and off the pitch. We’ve also learned it’s a two-way street. The sessions aren’t just an opportunity for our team to coach; they’re an opportunity for our team to learn from young people about how the organisation can best support both them and the wider community.?

No one is closer to the action than the players, so we knew we needed to find a way to hear their ideas and help turn their suggestions into reality. To help crystallise this player-led feedback process, we’ve assembled the first Bloomsbury Football Youth Board, in consultation with experts in the Youth Voice field and other Youth Board leaders, including the Player Voice Youth Forum and Let Me Know.?

Six young Bloomsbury footballers, aged 12-15 years old, meet termly with Youth Board founders Esmé and Colette, as well as a guest member of staff, to share their on-pitch experiences, learn new skills, and help shape the future of the foundation.?

The most recent meeting was co-ordinated by Josh, our Club Football Manager. He led collaborative workshop tasks to encourage the Board to reflect on themes of professionalism and respect within the game. Lively, engaging discussions gave our board members greater insight into the experiences of their fellow players, and much welcomed feedback for staff on how to maximise the enjoyment of our programmes. Plus, it’s fair to say the post-workshop team-building trip to Nando’s went down a treat.?

Within our Youth Board, there are representatives from all our programmes, including the Bloomsbury Academy, Disability, Futsal and Development programmes. We are proud of how the individuals on our board represent diverse voices from across our programmes and how it empowers all our players to improve the coaching at Bloomsbury, on and off the field.??

Thanks to our founding Youth Board team, who have made this whole project possible: Carla, Jack, Kayla, Levi, Stamford and Yuki.?

Youth Board members sit for a two-year cycle, meaning we’ll be recruiting for new members next season. If you’re a Bloomsbury footballer and are interested in joining the Youth Board, chat to your coach for more information.

If you’re not a Bloomsbury footballer, but want to learn more about the life changing impact our work has for young people in London, visit our website.?