Youth team enjoy special Kick it Out education session.
Morecambe’s youth team are the latest group of young players to take part in League Football Education’s (LFE) Life Skills programme during the 2016-17 season.
Each season LFE, provides around 160 sessions via partner organisations to enhance and complement the Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence programme, that operates across English Football League clubs.
The sessions which are designed to help players maximise their potential as footballers and more importantly develop general life skills, cover a number of distinct areas.
These include financial management, emotional well-being, preventative and lifestyle education in areas like gambling, alcohol and drugs, social media training and diversity.
Morecambe’s Under-18s recently tackled a workshop led by Kick It Out’s, Education and Development Manager, Troy Townsend and former Charlton Athletic and Aston Villa striker Paul Mortimer.
The players worked through current issues including discrimination and stereotypes and engaged in an open debate on topics like homophobia, sexism and racism, to develop their knowledge and understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Current first year apprentice, Nathan Dutton-Kay, said:
“It was good, it was challenging and you really had to think about every issue. You find yourself thinking about how you’re treating other people and if your words could affect others negatively.
“You might use a term flippantly or innocently but that might be offensive to others so you have to think about what you’re doing, saying and how you’re presenting yourself.
“It helps you to understand how language and stereotypes can affect others and raises awareness of equality issues in the game.”
LFE chief executive Alan Sykes, added:
“Our Life Skills programme enhances the academic curriculum that all players follow and we believe that it helps clubs holistically develop their players.
“Some may go on to be footballers, others may not but either way we want to ensure that all our apprentices are well prepared for future life challenges.”