ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
Premier Skills is British Council’s international partnership with the Premier League, uses football to develop a brighter future of young people around the world. The programme currently operates in 19 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas from Afghanistan to Zambia.
Premier Skills use football to tackle a variety of community social issues such as gender, disability, inclusion, education and health. Premier Skills combines the reach of the British Council with the global appeal of the Premier League using football to develop a brighter future for young people around the world.
Since Premier Skills began in 2007, 20,027 coaches and referees have been trained in 29 countries, who in turn have reached over 1.6 million young people. From 2013- 2016, female participation, which has been a particular focus, has risen to almost 30%. Through Premier Skills English, teachers and learners of English are given free, compelling learning materials, drawing on football-based content from the most exciting football league in the world.
Premier Skills Coach Educators is a three-phase training programme that aims to ensure the development and sustainability of Premier Skills in Myanmar. Graduates from the programme are qualified to deliver Premier Skills community coaching in Myanmar, thereby fulfilling the role played by the Premier League community coaches. Myanmar successfully trained 10 coach educators and 2 assistant coach educators in 2016.
In Myanmar, Premier Skills has already positively impacted grassroots football. Premier Skills in Myanmar has contributed to some fantastic achievements since Premier Skills began in 2014, 267 coaches and referees have been trained in Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy, Shan, Kachin and Mon States and Regions in country, who in turn have reached 6489 young people including those in the IDP camps, conflicted areas and marginalised community.
OUR AIMS:
- to engage street children (including vulnerable children) in a range of constructive activities within a safe environment
- to create progression routes into education, training and livelihoods for street children and their communities
- to encourage young people, community coaches, youth leaders and others to volunteer for projects and support development within their communities
- integrate an English language component into community football, by providing positive learning experiences through the global appeal of Premier League football.