English Football League Trust
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| English Football League Trust | |
|---|---|
| Name | English Football League Trust |
| Formation | 2015 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | England, Wales |
| Parent organization | English Football League |
English Football League Trust The English Football League Trust is the charitable arm associated with the English Football League and operates across clubs in England and Wales, delivering community, education, and health programmes linked to professional football venues such as Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford, and Anfield. It works with major stakeholders including the Football Association, Premier League, and regional bodies like Sport England and UK Sport to extend outreach into areas served by clubs such as Leeds United, Sunderland A.F.C., and Ipswich Town. The Trust’s activities intersect with institutions like NHS England, academic partners such as University of Liverpool and Loughborough University, and charitable networks including Comic Relief and National Lottery Community Fund.
History
The Trust was established in the aftermath of restructuring within the English Football League to professionalize community engagement across member clubs including Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and Norwich City. Early collaborations drew on precedents from organizations like Barnardo's, Sport England, and club foundations at Chelsea F.C. Foundation and Manchester United Foundation, while responding to research from University of Central Lancashire and Sheffield Hallam University. Milestones include scaling programmes to clubs such as Cardiff City and Swansea City, launching initiatives in partnership with Public Health England and embedding outcomes measurement influenced by What Works Centre for Wellbeing.
Mission and Objectives
The Trust’s mission aligns with objectives promoted by the English Football League and advocacy organisations like Kick It Out and StreetGames: to improve wellbeing, educational attainment, and social inclusion through football-based interventions at venues including Villa Park and Goodison Park. Objectives include reducing health disparities flagged by NHS England and Public Health Wales, supporting employability pathways tied to employers like Sky Sports and BBC Sport, and promoting safeguarding standards consistent with guidelines from Childline and FA Council.
Programs and Initiatives
Programmes target multiple outcomes through strands similar to those run by Arsenal in the Community, Liverpool FC Foundation, and West Ham United Foundation, including school outreach, mental health support, and workforce development. Initiatives have included health screenings linked with NHS England campaigns, employability academies modeled on schemes from The Prince’s Trust and City Year UK, and participation projects delivered at stadia such as Hillsborough and The Hawthorns. Special programmes addressing inclusion have worked with Stonewall, Mind, and Samaritans while education partnerships mirror curriculum links seen at University of Birmingham and University College London.
Governance and Funding
Governance structures reflect trusteeship standards promoted by Charity Commission for England and Wales and corporate governance seen in bodies like Sport England and Birmingham City Council. The Trust is funded through a combination of grants from National Lottery Community Fund, commercial partnerships with broadcasters Sky Sports and BT Sport, and contributions from member clubs including Brentford F.C., Hull City, and Derby County. Financial oversight follows guidance from Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and auditing practices used by charities such as Oxfam and Save the Children.
Impact and Evaluation
Impact measurement draws on methodologies from What Works Centre for Crime Reduction and evaluation frameworks used by Nesta and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, employing quantitative indicators similar to those used by Public Health England and qualitative approaches aligned with Arts Council England research. Evaluations have reported outcomes in physical activity, mental wellbeing, and employment for participants from communities around clubs like Portsmouth F.C. and Blackburn Rovers, with case evidence compared to programmes run by Sported and StreetGames.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Key partnerships include collaborative work with the Football Association, healthcare partners such as NHS England and Public Health Wales, academic collaborators like Loughborough University and University of Liverpool, funders including the National Lottery Community Fund and Comic Relief, and advocacy organisations such as Kick It Out and Stonewall. The Trust also liaises with local authorities such as Liverpool City Council and Leeds City Council and commercial partners including Sky Sports and hospitality providers at stadia like Elland Road and St James' Park.
Notable Projects and Case Studies
Notable projects include community health campaigns in partnership with Public Health England at clubs like Bolton Wanderers F.C. and Wigan Athletic, employability pathways co-designed with The Prince’s Trust and local employers such as Transport for London and NHS England, and school-based interventions piloted with Department for Education support in locales served by Charlton Athletic and Rotherham United. Case studies often reference comparative work by Liverpool FC Foundation, Manchester City Community Trust, and evaluations published by Nesta and Joseph Rowntree Foundation demonstrating measurable gains in wellbeing and social inclusion.