Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Olympics Minister, said:

“Sport, and particularly football, unites people around the world. Premier Skills is a great initiative that complements what we are already doing to transform young people’s lives through sport.  “These programmes will help children in many countries develop life skills such as leadership, self-confidence and team work. That’s why we promised in our 2012 bid that London would inspire children around the world, and we are delivering that through our International Inspiration project. I’m thrilled that through the Premier League and British Council the UK can now pioneer another initiative which will achieve these aims and leave a lasting legacy.”

Premier Skills has been led by former Premier League stars Warren Barton and Robbie Earle. Both have UEFA coaching qualifications, and alongside Premier League club academy and community coaches, have lead a series of football coaching, skills and leadership sessions for around 40 youth leaders in each city.

Alongside Premier Skills, the Premier League is also a key donor supporting the UK’s Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy programme – International Inspiration – which the British Council is helping to deliver alongside UK Sport, UNICEF and other partners.

The Premier League is also backing other sports development projects overseas including Magic Bus, an Indian initiative that seeks to address poverty and disempowerment amongst street children by promoting personal and social education through sport and outdoor adventure.

The Premier League has also committed three years of funding to a project in Western Kenya which, in collaboration with Sport Relief will provide education bursaries, health care and self-employment support for hundreds of HIV orphans and widows.

In addition, the Premier League continues to invest in smaller international grassroots projects through its small grants fund and in the 2007/08 season supported football backed initiatives in Guatemala, South Africa and Uganda.

• Builds relationships and understanding between people in the UK and other countries and increase appreciation of the UK’s ideas and achievements overseas.
  
• Focuses on creativity, education and civil society.
  
• Is a non-political organisation which operates at arm’s length from government.
  
• Had income in 2005/06 of £517 million, of which our grant-in-aid from the British government is £189 million.
  
• For more information on the work of the British Council, please contact  Ellen Miller at the British Council Press Office in the UK on 0207 389 4939 / 07733 308487 ellen.miller@britishcouncil.org

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Premier League Launches International Good Causes Programme

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In line with the objective of promoting knowledge sharing and facilitating the exchange of information between Members and Associate Members and relevant stakeholders, the EPFL launched a Cycle of Conferences on “The Future of professional Football in Europe”.

These Conferences provide an excellent platform for updates about the value of football...More >