Arsenal recently won the Best Community & Social Responsibility Programme award for our Arsenal Employability Programme.

The campaign, set up in 2011, which aims to help unemployment amongst the youth in the local area, was recognised by the European Club Association as an outstanding contribution to European football.

The programme employs trained professionals to help young people go on courses, which can allow them to earn qualifications and learn key skills. According to Arsenal, they’ve helped over 300 people find work from their programme alone.

“The passion and support that our staff have offered participants has played a key role in preparing young people for work and motivating them to stay in work,” said Alan Sefton, Head of Arsenal in the Community. “The project plays a significant role in one of our local community’s priority aims and, most importantly, it is having a vital impact on the lives of young people and their families.”

Marc-André Buchwalder of the ECA added, “The Arsenal Employability Programme perfectly illustrates the force for good that clubs can have in their local communities. The tailor-made approach, the continuous support throughout the recruitment process, the special relationships developed with a range of employers and the tangible job outcomes make this a great example of an employability project that directly impacts the lives of the participants and their families.

“With more than 300 people gaining employment as a direct result of the project, the Arsenal Employability Programme has proved very successful and I can only invite other clubs to get inspired by this successful CSR model.”

Chairman, Ivan Gazidis, was in attendance to receive the award.