Kick-starting new skills
Our ground-breaking project with the Premier League uses football to engage with and encourage young Tunisians.
THE FORCE OF FOOTBALL
Premier Skills harnesses the world’s love of football to simultaneously promote coaching skills and English language skills.
"Our purpose is to connect people in the UK with people in other countries and football is a great way to do that."
Martin Davidson, British Council Chief Executive
The programme has three elements:
- Training for young coaches and referees. We teach them how to use football to bring positivity to their communities, and we help them with their own local football projects. The courses are run by former Premier League players and current coaches.
- A range of football-themed materials for teachers and learners. The Premier Skills website has free games, stories, videos and exercises, as well as classroom materials exploring issues such as health and social inclusion.
- Linking community projects run by Premier League clubs (for instance Kickz, a project between the Premier League and the Metropolitan Police) to similar projects in other countries.
HOW WE’VE BEEN REACHING YOUNG TUNISIANS
Through the partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Woman and Family, the British Council organises face-to-face training for coaches and referees, using highly skilled coaches and referee trainers from the Premier League and its clubs. The participants are then supported in developing their own community-focused football projects.
Participants were from clubs, schools and universities. We gave priority to those who were active in their communities, as well as those from under-privileged governorates or disadvantaged groups.
"I am looking forward to meeting the African coaches and to hearing their own accounts of how Premier Skills has helped with their football development."
John Barnes.
GET INVOLVED
Visit the Premier Skills website for information about the coaching programmes. Or go to the Premier Skills teachers' page if you’re a teacher hoping to harness the popularity of football for the good of your students.
MORE INFORMATION
Visit the Premier Skills website for football-related games, stories, videos and exercises designed to improve English skills.