Albert Bartlett strengthens their relationship with AR26 Charity, founded and led by Scotland Captain Andy Robertson MBE, to help support those all-important first chances in life for young people in Airdrie, closing the gap on disadvantage and levelling the playing field.
As well as sponsoring AR26’s free Football for All programme in Airdrie delivering free football on Tuesday evenings and free fun, food, and football throughout school holidays to young people aged 6-14 years in Airdrie, Albert Bartlett is further showcasing their investment in tomorrow’s local talent by supporting 12 young people to participate in AR26’s Hope for Youths, GOAL programme in Airdrie.
AR26’s GOAL programme provides an alternate education initiative utilising football as the line of engagement to re-engage those disengaged from an early secondary school timetable or at risk of disengaging. It is all about unique group access to education and engagement, on and off the pitch learning, awareness raising, and life skills developed.
The current programme is supporting twelve secondary two and three pupils from Airdrie Academy and St Margaret’s RC High School and is a team effort involving AR26 Charity, Albert Bartlett, Police Scotland’s National Football Information Point Scotland, Airdrie FC, and an array of guest speakers from various walks of life.
The aim is to help facilitate those all-important first chances in life and reengage young people who are predominantly disengaged with school in learning and add focus to their future through a common interest, football. Delivering the programme out with a school setting provides a creative learning environment and enhances engagement and participation, AR26 is delighted to be hosting the first eight weeks of the programme from Airdrie FC and the final four weeks from Albert Bartlett’s Airdrie site, promoting physical activity, educating participants on various topics, promoting key competencies and life skills, and encouraging participants to proactively think about their choices and future.
All partners want to ensure every young person feels supported into positive pathways following school, facilitating those first chances in life, and opening their mind to a world of opportunities and how they can plan to embark on their journey to achieve a fulfilling future with the correct support network.
Amanda Nisanci, Head of Partnerships, AR26 Charity said:
“AR26 is delighted to have this invaluable support from Albert Bartlett which allows us to take the programme to a new level. The aim was that the participants complete the programme with enhanced confidence and self-belief, new and improved skills, a better awareness of careers linking to football but transferable to many industries, increased understanding of issues that surround football but are transferable to everyday life that encourage participants to identify with and discourage engagement in harmful behaviours from learning from outcomes and consequences associated with each. However, the support from Albert Bartlett is providing participants with an opportunity to put their learning and interests into practice in a real-life working environment. Their four-day on site placement will allow them to gain a real insight into the array of opportunities on their doorstep, gain real life work experience, be inspired by a variety of different employees and their stories, and take on their own onsite challenge. This experience will provide a first-class opportunity that participants can utilise to help them on their journey towards a fulfilling future and provide a unique learning opportunity.
This programme will nurture harder to reach young people to engage them in alternate education to ensure they feel important and supported at a critical time in their lives. A programme which is delivered in an environment where they are encouraged, exposed to new experiences, skills, and opportunities, and ultimately allows them to realise that they can be successful learners and achievers in a setting that complements their needs. On completion not only have they embarked on a personal journey, but they have gained new skills and have undertaken new experiences and will be further supported to embark on their positive pathway towards a fulfilling future as AR26 continues to engage and support participants following completion of the programme.”
Layne White, HR Manager, Albert Bartlett, said:
“It is with great excitement we are partnering with AR26 to launch the Hope for Youths, GOAL programme in Airdrie. Every young person deserves the same opportunity to develop and be the best version of themselves. At Albert Bartlett, this is exactly what we aim to achieve by tapping into our own key people and sharing our enthusiasm for careers and opportunities within food manufacturing. Over the duration of the programme, we will be providing not only hands on work experience but also an insight into food safety, sustainability, and product development which will hopefully inspire the young people to think about a future career at Albert Bartlett. We recognise the benefit of investing in the next generation and the Hope for Youths programme does just this. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for these individuals.”