91%
of young people said they felt inspired and engaged.
91%
of young people said they had improved confidence and self-esteem.
86%
had improved mental wellbeing.
80%
had more positive attitudes towards personal development and careers.
Goal: To support young people to overcome barriers in education – equipping them with the skills, attitude, and aspiration to succeed.
Premier League Inspires is a personal development programme, funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) through the Premier League Charitable Fund. The programme uses the power of football to inspire young people aged 11-to-18 to develop the personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life
It is a curriculum-based programme delivered within Secondary Schools for young people aged 11-18 who are at risk of not fulfilling their potential. The programme is delivered weekly in 1-hour slots to a group of young people within your school by fully qualified Trust staff. We have two programmes you can choose from which aim to empower and inspire your students and enhance their learning: Inspiring Minds and Inspiring Skills. We are also able to deliver collapsed curriculum days to small groups or year groups at your school, available either as a half day or full day.
Every secondary school in Hertfordshire, Harrow & Hillingdon can access one cohort for free. Otherwise, prices for one cohort start from £275.
Joining our Premier League Inspires programme recognises your school as a Trust partner school, which means our staff can attend your school careers event, deliver a ‘career in football’ presentation, and allows you to get access to Trust exclusive events throughout the year.
Inspiring Skills
Our personal development programme focuses on key skills and social engagement to improve young people’s confidence, self-esteem, raise aspirations, and increase careers knowledge. This programme runs across six weeks in school sessions, and all young people are invited to an event at Vicarage Road Stadium, which includes workshops, stadium tour, and certificate presentation. You can register up to twelve young people who fit the risk factor guidance to participate, and one member of Trust staff will deliver these sessions. Each student will work through a programme scrap book and log their progress through each skill.
Topics include:
- Introduction
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Aiming High
Price: from £275 per cohort.
Inspiring Minds
New to the 2025/2026 academic year, our Inspiring Minds programme is a wellbeing programme combining self-reflection and practical-based sports activities to engage young people in the topic of mental health and healthier lifestyles. The programme is designed for those young people who are struggling with their own mental wellbeing or have family members affected by mental health. Each cohort can have up to sixteen young people registered, with two qualified Trust staff delivering the sessions. Running across one hour each week for six weeks, young people will work through a scrap book and participate in physical activity sessions each week linked to the following topics:
- Introduction
- Social Media and Gaming
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Positive Relationships
- Transition
All young people who complete the programme will be invited to a designated mental wellbeing event held at Watford FC’s Training Ground in May 2026. With the support of local partners, young people will be able to participate in physical activity sessions, undertake positive mental wellbeing activities, and speak with local professionals.
Price: from £400 per cohort.
All Trust staff are required to have an up-to-date enhanced DBS, First Aid qualification, Safeguarding Children and Young People, and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Within the Premier League Inspires team, all staff have as a minimum Youth Work Level 3, Effective Mentoring qualification and other youth and sport related qualifications and certificates. Staff regularly attend training and networks which enhance our work with young people and the emerging themes and challenges faced when working with our cohorts. Other qualifications include England Level 2 Netball and Level 3 Award in Higher Education and Learning.
