Journalism & News from Bournemouth University

Ben Edgell praises Poole Town FC partnership with SEN

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A sign with SEN through the net.
Poole Town main stand SEN, (Photo credit: Connor Hannon)

Poole Town FC and SWRAC, have teamed up to support and create opportunities for young people associated with SEND.

Poole Town is hosting a number of key initiatives with SWRAC in an attempt to provide SEN children with unique opportunities.

The club decided to feature #SayYestoSen campaign boards at the Tatnam ground and conduct media advertising for the next couple of seasons.

Commercial manager Ben Edgell said: “I don’t think as a community we do enough to support, for me this is a great platform to do this”.

SWRAC is based within the Dorset and Liverpool region, with college sites to cater to people aged between 16 and 30 with crucial life skills, internships, and other services and act as a specialist education and training provider for those who are in need

The South West Regional assessment centre helps young people who are unable to enter mainstream schools.

The partnership aims to use football as a platform to create inclusive opportunities and to raise awareness of available support services.

Poole town will offer opportunities to SWRAC’s students by providing work experiences and internships to heighten their skill level.

Edgell mentions: “We are trying to give these guys opportunities that they can learn from and as a club we can hopefully grow from this”.

Young people from college will work across all areas of the club, like groundskeeping, to marketing roles and retail.

Mr Edgell said: “ For our last game, we had one person working on the turnstiles, he can go away now with that experience and be able to put it on a CV”.

Students have been coming for tours around the grounds, seeking opportunities, Since the organisation started in 1996, it now supports over 200 young adults annually, since then grown in helping people’s abilities.

The collaboration is expected to inspire and build confidence in young people to thrive in future job-seeking opportunities.

Edgell is excited about the new project as he said: “Our first partnership with them and hopefully can be long term with the club”.

The partnership is showcasing the partnership between a local organisation and football to create a sustainable environment for the local community and everyone involved.