Leeds United Foundation provides amazing student experiences

Providing a rich experience for students is a priority at Leeds City College and sport plays a key role in achieving this.

The Student Life Enrichment team at Leeds City College works with Leeds United Foundation to deliver high quality football enrichment programmes and additional opportunities to enhance the student experience. 

The Student Life Enrichment team delivers open and curriculum enrichment opportunities that develop students employability skills, including but not limited to communication, collaboration and problem solving.

Here we explore this successful partnership and the positive impacts it has delivered.

About Leeds United Foundation

Leeds United Foundation’s mission is to use the power of football to enhance the lives of people through opportunities in sport, education and healthier lifestyles. The Foundation is the charity arm of Leeds United Football Club.

It uses the power of Leeds United to support and inspire people through a range of activities, including health and social education in primary and secondary schools, community volunteering, and sports participation for everyone.

This enables young people to make positive choices about their lives and futures. The foundation also helps to tackle loneliness amongst people of all ages.

Marching on Together

Leeds City College’s Student Life Enrichment team has worked with Leeds United Foundation staff to offer football opportunities to people over 16 years of age as part of the Active Through Football Project. 

The Foundation has provided staff support for enrichment sessions as well as providing opportunities for students to attend Leeds United matches and take part in tours of Elland Road stadium.

Since its establishment more than three years ago the partnership has evolved to ensure that students get the best possible experience. 

Impact goals

Thanks to support from Leeds United Foundation staff, we have been able to engage with more of our students. For example, over the 2023-2024 academic year more than 230 students participated in football activities with 1,500 engagements across the year.

Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with many saying they had access to opportunities that would not be possible without this partnership. Over the past three seasons more than 30 students have attended Leeds Utd matches with over 300 attending stadium tours. 

Additionally, the partnership has allowed Leeds City College to access opportunities across other areas of the Foundation’s work, including working with their National Citizen Service (NCS) team to introduce these opportunities to students who are learning English as a new resident in this country.