Beyond Employability: How Football Can Drive Long-Term Growth

Why foundations and charities need more than just CVs and job boards.

We all want to help young people get into work.

But that’s not enough anymore.

Because employability — in the traditional sense — doesn’t always stick.

You can run a brilliant CV workshop, fill out job applications, even tick the outcomes boxes…

But if the young person isn’t confident, curious, or clear on who they are and where they’re heading — the impact fades.

That’s where football comes in. Not as a distraction. As a driver.

At its best, football offers identity, energy, and structure. It gives young people a place to belong, a reason to show up, and a shared language they understand. That’s powerful. And it’s why foundations and charities connected to football are in a unique position to go beyond employability — and deliver real personal development.

Football-first doesn’t mean football-only

We’re not trying to turn every participant into a pro or get everyone a job at a club. What we’re doing is meeting young people where they are — and using the game to help them:

• Discover their strengths

• Reflect on who they are and what they value

• Build ambition and direction

• Develop transferable skills they actually believe in

The ball is the hook. But what we’re building is confidence, character, and clarity.

Programmes with depth, not just delivery

Ticking boxes is easy. But building futures takes more. That’s why our resources are built for foundations like yours — practical, flexible, football-powered, and designed for the realities of your delivery settings.

From one-off drop-in sessions to structured 6-week journeys like The Bootroom, our content gives your staff the tools to spark meaningful conversations, set real goals, and help young people see career development as something they’re already part of, not something distant or intimidating.

And it works.

We see young people light up when they realise there are hundreds of roles in football — from media to marketing, analysis to mentoring. We see confidence grow when they stop seeing themselves as “unemployable” and start recognising their value in and beyond the game.

Let’s move beyond job titles and start building people.

Because employability isn’t just about getting in — it’s about growing up.

And football? That’s where it begins.