March 10 – City Football Group – owner of Manchester City, New York City FC and Melbourne City FC – has announced a £400,000 football charity initiative through its Cityzens Giving programme.
The target is to engage with 2,000 young people in disadvantaged communities and improve their lives.
The funding will help the projects to address a range of issues affecting young people, including tackling gang crime, HIV education and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The £400,000 investment is funded from City Football Group’s 2013/14 annual revenue. The Cityzen Giving scheme, which is the first of its kind, gave thousands of Cityzens (Club members) the opportunity to pledge £5 to youth led charity football projects in six cities.
The scheme, which is the first of its kind, gave thousands of Cityzens (Club members) the opportunity to pledge £5 to youth led charity football projects in six cities. Funded from City Football Group’s 2013/14 annual revenue, the programme aims to improve the lives of more than 2,000 young people in disadvantaged communities through the power of football.
The funding will help the projects to address a range of issues affecting young people, including tackling gang crime, HIV education and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. It will pay for more than 100 young leaders in six cities run these programmes.
Tom Pitchon, City Football Group’s Foundation Director, said: “City Football Group’s community commitment dates back to the founding of Manchester City FC as a means to address social deprivation in Manchester. Today, all City Football Group clubs and each of the regions we operate in have strong community programmes.
“Cityzens Giving puts our fans at the heart of this, by letting them decide how we fund community football programmes locally and worldwide. We are particularly pleased that these programmes extend to cities where we have no physical presence, but where these projects are making a real and positive difference.”
“I have personally been inspired by the engagement and support from our Cityzens and I look forward to joining with them to support more young people through the power of football.”
Programme funding
Cape Town – Girls First will train 20 young female coaches to deliver football based HIV prevention sessions to 600 township girls and women.
Kuala Lumpur – Through the Lead programme, over 200 young girls from disadvantaged communities will take part in a weekly football sessions combined with tuition and support to help them continue their education.
Manchester – Led by a team of youth volunteers across Manchester, Boots & Beats will provide 500 young people with access to night time football and music sessions, combined with pathways into qualifications and jobs.
Melbourne – ‘I Speak Football’ will train 20 young coaches to run weekly inclusive football sessions for 100 socially isolated young people, building friendships and a sense of community through the global language of football.
New York – City Soccer in the Community will train 18 young leaders to deliver healthy lifestyle messages through football, reaching out to over 400 young people and their families across the city.
Barranquilla – The Urban Football project will help over 200 young people in Colombia to escape the dangers of gang violence and drugs.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734936121labto1734936121ofdlr1734936121owedi1734936121sni@n1734936121osloh1734936121cin.l1734936121uap1734936121