The Football Association (FA), through the backing of Barclays, has launched a mentoring programme designed to give aspiring football leaders a chance to build their skills to further their careers.
The ‘Leaders Mentor Programme’ is open to all football roles at any level of English football, from grassroots to the very highest elite standards. The kickstart is particularly focusing on helping historically disadvantaged and underrepresented groups within the English football industry.
The programme will offer on-site and online sessions, focusing on building confidence, leadership, problem solving, critical thinking and presentation skills. Guest speakers will also be brought in to provide mentoring sessions for aspiring leaders.
Cutting-edge technology will also be utilised during the programme after being supported by software partner Guider.
Michael Collins, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Barclays, added: “We are looking forward to working with The FA to further champion the advancement and support of historically underrepresented groups within the football industry.
“Our partnership with The FA enables us to continue to be a trusted ally in pursuit of diverse representation, equity and inclusion.”
FA Head of Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Programmes, Dal Darroch, said: “The diversity that we see in modern society isn’t currently reflected in mid-to-senior level positions within the football industry, and that’s something we’re committed to changing.
“This new programme is striving to unlock talent, support progression and tackle underrepresentation within our industry, ultimately equipping people with the confidence and enhanced skills they may need so they feel empowered to take the next step within their career.
“It’s an important milestone in our ongoing partnership with Barclays, with both organisations committed to making English football as inclusive as possible.”
The programme is set to begin in July 2024 with an induction at Wembley Stadium, culminating in early 2025 with a graduation ceremony at St. George’s Park. The organisation is looking for up to 30 mentees to join the first cohort of the programme, with a deadline for applications set on 24 May 2024.
