Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation deliver their first Twinning Project in a local prison

Coaches from the Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation have delivered a special 10 week Introduction to Coaching qualification at Wealstun Prison with support and funding from the Twinning Project.

The Twinning Project is a partnership between Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and professional football clubs with the objective of twinning every prison in England and Wales with a local professional football club.

The aim is to engage approximately 48 prisoners per year in each of the 117 prisons in England and Wales in football-based programmes to improve their mental and physical health, wellbeing and obtain a qualification which will help improve their life chances and gain employment on release.

Experienced coaches from the Foundation, supported by prison PE officers co-delivered accredited coaching and employability based qualifications to prisoners to better prepare them for life after their release. Offering routes to employment on release and a chance for them to up-skill and educate whilst in custody to ensure employability and opportunity.

Iain Service, Head of Foundation for Harrogate Town AFC Community explains,

“To complete our first cohort partnering with Wealstun Prison has been hugely rewarding. Knowing that we are able to have an impact on peoples lives using the power of football and coaching qualifications is special.

"We were extremely lucky to have very experienced coaches to assist our delivery in Gordon Staniforth and a superb PE Officers within the prison. The support from Graeme Clark and the Twinning Project has been top class and we are already looking in to extending to deliver another cohort."

Within the first cohort 15 inmates successfully completed the course. The coaches graduation took place this week with a special visit from Harrogate Town AFC player Warren Burrell.

It is hoped that with the skills and knowledge learned, new coaches can have increased chances of employment and there is less chance of re-offending.

Look out for more updates related to the Twinning Project and Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation very soon.
 
The Twinning Project and other programmes delivered by Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation contribute towards the charities aims of using the power of football to: Improve health and wellbeing, connect communities and enhance chances. Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation is the affiliated charity to Harrogate Town AFC who are a professional football club playing in the EFL (English Football League).