Marcus Rashford launches community programme for young people with Football Beyond Borders and Nike
- Rashford has teamed up with FBB and Nike for a new community programme
- 'Play Forward' is a new 12-week programme for young people
- Nike have backed the project with a £1m investment
Marcus Rashford, Football Beyond Borders and Nike have teamed up to create ‘Play Forward’, a programme to instil self-belief for the next generation.
The 'Play Forward' curriculum, designed by Football Beyond Borders and co-created with Rashford and Nike, is leveraging the power of football to enable 11 to 12-year-olds to understand their own unique superpowers, establish relationships, and dare to dream big.
Embodying Marcus' personal advice for the next generation, themes explored in the curriculum include: importance of community; self-belief and confidence; aspirations and visualisation, skills and tactics.
Football Beyond Borders' vision for society is one where all young people can thrive in mainstream school with the support of a trusted, consistent and relatable adult in their lives.
Speaking about the project, Rashford said: "I've been working to establish a programme for the next generation of footballers for many years and it's an honour to have worked with the team at Football Beyond Borders and Nike to bring 'Play Forward' to life.
"'Play Forward' is about cultivating a mindset of self-belief and embracing the personal potential which lies in everybody. I can't wait to see everyone in action."
'Play Forward' is delivered by Football Beyond Borders in schools and youth centres as two-hour weekly on/off pitch sessions over a 12-week programme. At the end of each 12-week programme, the young people are invited to a graduation ceremony to connect, reflect, and celebrate their journey.
In line with Football Beyond Borders' ethos, 'Play Forward' supports young people who are transitioning into secondary school reach their full potential both in the classroom and out on the playing field - prioritising Social Emotional Learning methods to empower students to sharpen their decision-making skills, improve their interaction with others and learn to self-manage their emotions.
Last year, young people supported by FBB were 11x more likely than national comparison groups to achieve a pass in their GCSE English and maths. It is FBB's ambition to deliver their programmes in 39/55 (65%) of England's education 'cold spots' by 2026.
Nike is proud to back this initiative with a £1m investment, starting in Rashford's home ground of Greater Manchester and scaling to multiple cities across the UK, with a focus on underserved communities.
This is a continuation of the work that Nike has implemented with Rashford, kick-starting the partnership with the unveiling of a new football pitch in his former primary school, Button Lane, Wythenshawe - when the 'Play Forward' programme was created and piloted by Marcus alongside Football Beyond Borders, and with the support of Nike.
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