Using football for a brighter future
THE Premier Skills initiative, run by the Premier League and the British Council, continued last Saturday with a Premier Skills Legacy event to celebrate almost 10 years of the programme’s existence in Malaysia.
The event celebrated the achievements of Premier Skills participants over the past decade and the ways in which the programme will maintain a presence in the country in the future.
Premier Skills uses football to develop a brighter future for young people around the world, drawing upon the global appeal of the Premier League and its expertise in delivering community programmes in the UK, alongside the British Council’s global network and track record of delivery.
Over 200 community coaches have taken part in Premier Skills in Malaysia since its inception in the country in 2009.
To further its impact, the Premier Skills Legacy programme was initiated in Malaysia from 2016 onwards, focusing on an overarching theme of inclusivity, concen- trating on women and girls, as well as people with disabilities.
“Premier Skills Legacy is a platform for Premier Skills Coaches to network with sector experts, develop their skill set through targeted training, and receive feedback on their project ideas and plans,” said British Council Malaysia director Sarah Deverall.
The Coach Educators trained under Premier Skills are central to the sustainability of the programme as they are accredited to deliver the Premier Skills ‘Introduction to Community Coaching’ course to train new coaches.
As a result, Premier Skills has nurtured five Coach Educators in Malaysia who are qualified to deliver the course and continue the programme.
In addition to coaching, a range of free materials, including a dedicated website, have been created under Premier Skills for teachers and learners of English that utilise exciting Premier League content and the British Council’s world-class expertise in English.