The 92 Shield scheme is one of Foundation 92’s earliest initiatives and has helped to transform lives across the Salford and Greater Manchester area for nearly 18 months.
The Foundation is an independent registered charity that focuses on supporting communities to improve their lives through sport, education and bespoke projects, with an emphasis on positive physical and mental wellbeing.
Founded in 2018, Foundation 92 is the official charity partner of Salford City Football club and supports the wider community, offering help to those living with additional needs and disabilities, those tackling homelessness and young people who have or may be at risk of committing offences, among other groups.
Jordan Kay is the inclusion coordinator and says the Foundation has been hugely successful since its formation:
“There really has been some success stories that have come out of people coming to us with this programme. The best example I can probably give you is one of our colleagues Damian, who came to us through the 92 Shield programme who’d dealt with mental health issues and had experienced being homeless and just really took a lot from the programme, made a lot of friends from it and eventually came on to one of our education programmes with the traineeship which he took part in and graduated from and he is now actually working for us full time as a community coach. So, I think that really does sum it up.”
𝟵𝟮 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 – Using football to change lives and create new friendships! 🤝
If you're free on a Tuesday afternoon, why not head down to our 92 Shield session? 👀
📍 – Albert Park
🗓️ – Tuesdays, 12:00-14:00For more information, email Jordan.Kay@Foundation92.co.uk 📧 pic.twitter.com/6uz3LF9vpn
— Foundation 92 (@Foundation92) December 6, 2021
The 92 Shield programme takes place from 12pm every Tuesday at Albert Park and has made a big difference in people’s lives.
“The 92 Shield programme was one of the first big things that the foundation did as an organisation. So, what it started out as was a homeless reduction programme aimed at people who’ve suffered with homelessness and we got a really good intake on that and it has become like a referral programme not just for people who’ve dealt with homelessness in their lives it’s also people who’ve had mental health conditions and issues, people who’ve had drug and alcohol abuse issues.
“It’s been really nice to see, for me I came into the foundation about a year ago and I’ve been involved in that programme ever since and it’s been great to see how it’s grown over that time with more and more people getting referred to us and just us being able to give them a chance and give them that support that they might need with some of those issues they’ve been faced with.
“I think we have a massive role to play, the club itself Salford city is in the heart of Salford and it’s well known by everybody and we have that platform through the club and through the class of 92 to really make meaningful change in the Salford community and beyond.
“There is a need for things especially in the pandemic especially through covid people have needed that support and you know there is a wide range of organisations like us who are there to provide that support. So we’ve just wanted to jump on that and be a beacon of hope for people really and it’s really important because people have been through a lot with the pandemic there’s been people who have not been able to get out and socialise, there’s people who’ve had more serious issues than that like homelessness or mental health issues and it’s really important that we can provide that service for them even if it’s not referring them into our own programmes it’s maybe helping them refer on to get help elsewhere I think it’s really important that organisations like ourselves and similar organisations are there to do that not just Salford but in the greater Manchester area as well.”
Interview with Jordan Kay:
The charity has only been fully operational for 18 months, meaning that Covid had a big impact on a lot of the things that the organisation had planned, however Jordan says the Foundation were still able to help people during the pandemic:
“I would say our covid response is something that we’re really proud of. We were able to give assistance to quite a lot of people in Salford and in the greater Manchester area as well, we were able to provide that support in terms of educational support, in terms of mental health support, in terms of food packs and food support as well.
“It’s massively rewarding. We work everyday to try and make a difference and to have more of those stories like Damian’s story where we’ve been able to come in and support somebody on that individual level and help them in life help them to progress and do things they want to do.
“Even just as simple as putting a smile on their face it really is rewarding and for me personally as well with the programmes I’ve run in the inclusion capacity, giving a chance to people to be included in sport and education that might not have had a chance to do that before is personally really rewarding for me.”
For more information on Foundation 92 visit their website:
Recent Comments