Barclay's Premier League: Premier Skills, passion to program

            The outcome of team United States performance at this year's FIFA World Cup has marked the appetite for the 'world's popular sports' in the country - football. Thousands of American natives traveled to Brazil for the tournament and television viewing figures for the plays increased to reach record levels.

            In Chicago, the Major League Soccer club - Chicago Fire wants to reproduce the Premier League's skills and abilities to turn that passion into programs that will improve the lifestyle of the common people in the local community. As part of that, they will collaborate with other locally-based organizations in the community to launch the first US site of the globally successful Premier Skills program.

            The partnership between Premier League and that British Council produced the so called Premier Skills. It uses the knowledge and expertise of both groups to help marginalized the youth in developing skills and in tackling a variety of social issues such as health, education, disability and inclusion to name some.

            One significant part of the program is 'Inspired by PL Kicks'. This is based on PL Kicks model in England. It uses the strength of sport to engage the youth in positive activities, breaking down great walls between the community and police to create safer, stronger and more respectful communities.

           It is hoped that the 'Inspired by PL Kicks' will release the same impact in Chicago as it does in systems where it is successfully running in Brazil, Indonesia and India.

           The supporters of Chicago Fire and community residents were able to sign up for pre-registration to local children in the Premier Skills program during the club's annual 'Practice in the Community' event in the Little Village neighborhood at the latter part of last month. The fans witnessed the Fire in training, met first-team players and took part in fun games and activities.

          The first Premier Skills session began in Little Village only this week. Chicago's pilot program will propose opportunities to young people through a year-round after-school and sports-based youth development program and will include talents, play and social and emotional learning. It engages the hard-to-get people between ages 8 to 18, three fruitful nights a week.

          "As we look to continue our investment in the local community, we couldn't be more thrilled to partner with such quality organisations to bring this opportunity to Chicago," said Chicago Fire chief operating officer Atul Khosla. "We look forward to working collectively through the Premier Skills platform to provide our community's youth with greater chances at a better life."

         "The programme will encourage positive relationships with adult mentors as well as building the confidence, aspirations of skills of the participants to enable them to develop into productive adults."

(Source: Barclay's Premier League official website)

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