The Gunners celebrated the milestone at the Emirates Stadium, as many of the club’s community workers were given awards for their dedication and hard work, writes Stewart Coggin.
Over it’s 25-year history, Arsenal in the Community has gone from operating locally to establishing working groups all over the world.
In recent years the club’s outreach work has taken place on estates and parks, as Arsenal strives to reach young people through football and other sports. The initiatives go far beyond football schools, as the sport is used to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of young people through a range of methods, including Arsenal players making appearances in classrooms in the local area.
fantastic achievement
Wenger believes the club’s work has benefited many young people at home and abroad.
He said: “We are very proud to celebrate this milestone. People often only see a little part of the club which is the football team but there is a tremendous amount of work at other levels and that includes a huge contribution to helping people within our surrounding community and beyond.
“I believe it is a fantastic achievement because we started that work in 1985 and at the time it was to respond more to racist problems in the community and on that front I feel society has gone forward quite well, but today we have to respond to modern problems, that means unemployment, instabilities of families, educational problems.
“We try hard to respond to that and we’ve developed quite well domestically at Islington because our roots are here, but also internationally where we have created many football schools.”
The Frenchman believes the success of the team has assisted the club in its aim of helping the community.
our happiness
“When you go around here at Islington people want to be proud of their team,” he added.
“We are proud of our history, that is one part of our happiness. Then we want to be proud of our style of play, our results, then as well we want to be proud of what we give to other people and that’s what we give to the community.
“I believe football can be fantastic because when you are 10 or 12 years old and Arsenal comes in, you listen a little bit better than if your teacher says something to you.
“Arsenal has many responsibilities. We pride ourselves on enriching and propelling people’s lives forward by devising and developing projects that help to overcome the ever-changing issues that affect our society today. Of course it’s not the most glamorous part, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the most important one.
“This week is very important for everyone in the Arsenal community to take a look back at 25 years of dedicated work and participation and reflect upon the future when we will continue the great work and grow even more projects to involve our supporters and the community at large.”
Arsenal in the Community has invested over 5.5 million hours and involved one million individuals, across a wide variety of sporting, charitable, educational and social inclusion projects.
stronger communities
Prime Minister Gordon Brown commended the department’s work and said: “I congratulate Arsenal in the Community for what they have achieved over the last 25 years. Inspiring our communities builds stronger communities, something I have been passionate about for many years. Arsenal has a lot to be proud of and I am sure the next 25 years will be just as inspiring.”
Arsenal in the Community was founded in February 1985 when Vic Akers OBE (Arsenal’s first team kit manager and Arsenal Ladies General Manager) was appointed the club’s first community liaison officer following the creation of a national programme which encouraged young people in urban communities to participate in recreational and competitive sport.
Since this time, head of Arsenal in the Community, Alan Sefton has grown a collection of projects, which have responded to the needs of its community.
Reflecting upon 25 years of Arsenal in the Community, Sefton said: “All of our programmes embrace a cross section of community involvement and they’re delivered and received with the same energy and commitment today as when they started 25 years ago. To us, that’s the true test of success.
“We hope that everyone involved with Arsenal in the Community enjoys this week of celebration and gains inspiration from the memories and stories of participants. We have looked back to look forward. Here’s to another 25 years and reaching more people through our programmes than ever before.”
As part of the celebrations, Arsenal Football Club has produced a booklet entitled, ‘Community Review’ which takes a look back on 25 years of dedicated commitment and looks forward with pledges to supporters and the Arsenal community.
Copies of this booklet are available on a PDF on Arsenal.com or in hard copy format through the club’s communications department. A short film has also been made which can also be found on the club’s official site.
www.arsenal.com
“We pride ourselves on enriching and propelling people’s lives forward” – Arsene Wenger
Credits: PremierLeague.com
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