IMPACT REPORT
Everton in the Community
2022/2023
Sue Gregory
Chief Executive Officer
The 2022/23 season was a period of growth and reflection for
Everton in the Community – one which saw our charity record a full year of face-to-face delivery with no restrictions.
Since I was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer in July 2022, we have continued to work closely with our fans, neighbours, partners and community groups to enhance our life-saving and life-changing work, expand our staff force and embark on new partnerships to allow us to support even more people across Liverpool City Region. We have persisted in dealing with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and launched the Blue Base Pantry to help meet the challenges that have arisen as a result coupled with the emerging cost-of-living crisis. We officially opened the doors to The People's Place, the first-of-its-kind mental health and wellbeing hub attached to a football club – which completed a £13million Goodison Campus – and the region’s first Digital Skills Lab, as we bid to close the widening skills gap for young people.
Over the last year, we have expanded our programmes to 60 in total – up from 52 in the previous season. A number of brand-new projects have been launched, including ‘Everton Cares’, a programme to support individuals with long-term health conditions, ‘Starting Well’ – a dedicated wellbeing initiative to provide tailored support to new and expectant dads and ‘Stand By Her,’ which is a programme specifically aimed at supporting female veterans with transition from life in the forces to civilian life. We have also started to accept referrals for a children’s-only mental health programme to support young people who are bereaved by suicide and our existing projects have continued to develop – made possible thanks to the ongoing support received from the Steve Morgan Foundation, Premier League and Merseyside Police.
Looking forwards, we recently secured multi-million-pound funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation to deliver early intervention programmes in North Liverpool and South Sefton to tackle social deprivation and inequalities that often hinder young people from getting the best start in life.
We pride ourselves on being a charity that is there for its local community – when we see a need, we act – and that is why we are working towards introducing a brand-new strategy which will see us increase our support in key areas across the City Region for those who need it most in the 2023/24 season.
Who We Are
Since 1988, Everton Football Club’s independently governed and independently financed charitable arm has been at the forefront of social intervention across Merseyside, unafraid to tackle issues which others shield away from.
This approach has subsequently enabled Everton in the Community to position itself as one of the UK’s top sporting charities and is firmly established on the world stage – reflected in the numerous awards and media recognition its received as well as the societal value its generated.
Our Purpose
The purpose of our charity is to deliver a service that is rated as “best in class” by our participants, funders and community partners. A service that is recognised as highly successful in making a significant social contribution; changing lives and providing opportunities for all participants, particularly the most hard-to-reach and hard-to-help members of society.
Everton in the Community must be ambitious, dynamic and agile if it is to become the charity of first choice for donors, sponsors and grant-awarding bodies.
Our Vision
To be the most effective charity, both nationally and internationally, that uses sport as a tool to identify and support vulnerable people and help to change lives for the better.
Our Mission
Everton in the Community works in partnership with many individuals and organisations on a local, national and international level. Through the use of a comprehensive variety of sporting and social opportunities, Everton in the Community states that:
“Through the positive promotion of sport, physical activity and the brand of Everton Football Club, we are committed to providing high quality, accessible participant and development opportunities that positively change lives and bring enjoyment to our communities."
Our Work
Operating seven days a week, 365 days a year, Everton in the Community prides itself on being ‘The People’s Club’ and serving the needs of its local communities.
The charity supports people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds, with 60 research-led programmes which cover a wide range of social themes including health, employability, crime, education, poverty, youth engagement and justice – with a pathway joining each programme together to ensure participants can access them simultaneously and transfer onto others as their needs and interests change. From delivering the Premier League Primary Stars programme to school children to supporting the elderly members of the Liverpool community who are suffering from social isolation, Everton in the Community is open and inclusive to all.
Everton in the Community is a place-based charity with the majority of its work taking place in Liverpool 4 in the Kirkdale and County wards of Liverpool, which are in the most deprived 1% of neighbourhoods nationally. A third of children are living in an Absolute Low Housing Income and the area has a life expectancy six years less than the national average. The ward of Kirkdale also has high levels of deprivation in the indices of income, employment, education, health and disability, crime and living environment.
Our People
Executive Leadership Team
Sue Gregory – Chief Executive Officer
Michael Salla – Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Linda McMullen – Director of Finance, Governance and Assets
Lara King – Director of Youth and Support
John McDonald – Director of Innovation and Strategy
Andy Duff – Director of Income Generation
Dr Mike Finn – Director of Lifelong Learning
TRUSTEES, PATRONS
AND AMBASSADORS
Trustees
Our trustees have been selected for the diversity of skills they bring to the strategic direction of Everton in the Community.
To ensure effective governance, the following trustees meet officially three times a year:
· Sir John Jones – Chair of the Board of Trustees.
· Mr Paul Bibby – Vice-Chair.
· Professor Charles Mills.
· Mr Alan McTavish.
· Ms Sue Russell.
· Mr Martin Carey.
Patrons
Everton in the Community has the
support of four dedicated patrons:
· Mr Bill Kenwright CBE – Chairman of Everton Football Club
and Everton in the Community Patron.
· Dame Judi Dench – Honorary Patron of Everton in the Community.
· Ms Amanda Holden – Honorary Patron of
Everton in the Community.
· Professor Gerald Pillay – Honorary Patron of
Everton in the Community.
Ambassadors
Everton in the Community is pleased to have the support of
an esteemed group of ambassadors who
champion the work of the charity.
Our ambassadors are:
· Professor James Keaton MBE.
· Mr Graeme Sharp.
· Rt Hon Jane Kennedy.
· Sir Terry Leahy.
· Mr Steve Smith.
· Professor Cynthia Pine CBE.
· Mr Mark Kent.
· Mr Andrew Lancel.
· Mr Mark Carney.
Everton Football Club’s Manager and the entire First-Team squad also serve as Everton in the Community ambassadors,
committed to supporting and raising awareness of the work of the charity locally, nationally and internationally.
Impact Model -
Youth Engagement
Everton in the Community’s youth engagement arm utilises the power of sport to support ‘hard-to-reach’ young people in community settings, engaging them in positive diversionary activities to develop their confidence, self-esteem and raise their aspirations whilst deterring them away from crime and anti-social activity.
‘Premier League Kicks’ and ‘Youth Inclusion’ combine football development and multi-sports sessions with workshops on topics including healthy lifestyles and employability as well as on the dangers of gang violence, drugs and alcohol. PL Kicks participants also have the opportunity to play weekly, structured football in a safe, inclusive environment as well as representing Everton at regional tournaments.
The charity’s youth engagement arm works in partnership with Premier League Charitable Fund, Merseyside Police,
the Crime Commissioner and Steve Morgan Foundation; delivering its Community Impact Model in Speke Garston since 2020 to protect young people from exploitation and inspiring them to reach their full potential.
In collaboration with its long-term partners, PL Kicks deliver more than 30 sports sessions across Merseyside
each week for eight to 19-year-olds and reduces anti-social behaviour and crime by 75-85% during session times.
Significant highlights in the 2022/23 season include 10 participants meeting Prince William at St. George’s Park for a pre-tournament trip before travelling to Qatar for the Street Child World Cup. Elsewhere, in May 2023 EitC hosted the inaugural Breakthrough Awards – celebrating the achievements of young people from across its youth engagement programmes.
Premier League Kicks
and Youth Inclusion
1,600 young people
aged eight to 19 from across Merseyside through sports and targeted youth work sessions.
391 young people
were given opportunity to represent the charity at a fixture or tournament, including playing at Goodison Park at the end of the season.
250 female participants engaged
through the charity’s wide-ranging youth engagement provision.
10 participants travelled
to Qatar to represent Team England at the ‘Street Child World Cup’.
Impact Model – Education
Everton in the Community’s education arm supports children and young people throughout their educational journey and provides interventions at any stage during the educational path of a young person to cater for an extensive array of needs and challenges through two bespoke programmes.
The ‘Premier League Primary Stars’ programme sees the charity work in primary schools across Liverpool City Region to inspire children aged five to 11, covering subjects from English and Maths to teamwork and PE with learning connected to the real world of sport when tackling challenging subjects such as resilience, diversity and self-esteem.
The ‘Premier League Inspires’ programme is aimed at children and young people aged 11 to 18 and looks to raise aspirations, attainment and attendance. EitC staff work in targeted priority schools across the city supporting students from all year groups with issues including poor mental wellbeing and low aspirations as well as students at risk of being excluded or not being in employment or training.
Significant highlights for the charity’s education arm in the 2022/23 season include securing multi-million-pound funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation to deliver early intervention programmes in Liverpool 4 and South Sefton, building on its success in Speke-Garston. PLPS successfully qualified for the U11 National Girls tournament with its first-ever partner school hosted at Elland Road, the home of Leeds United. whilst Everton men's senior team stars James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil visited a local secondary school to witness how the PL Inspires programme has lifted the aspirations and literacy levels of young people.
Premier League
Primary Stars
More than 6,500
young people have been supported across the 22/23 academic year, working with 51 partner schools.
125 teachers
have been supported across the year, enhancing their knowledge and confidence in PE.
A record-breaking 50 schools
and 400 children participated across both girls and mixed Premier League Schools Tournaments.
Premier League
Inspires
More than 2,000
young people engaged over the 22/23 academic year, supporting them in raising their aspirations and personal development skills.
The PL Inspires team
worked with and impacted the educational journeys of over 5,500 participants.
Students
who took part in our PL Inspires literacy programme increased their reading age by an average of nine months.
77 students
completed a FA qualification.
Impact Model – Pathways
Everton in the Community’s Pathways arm is designed to better equip both young people and adults from across Liverpool City Region with the tools and skills needed to navigate in the world of work through three bespoke programmes.
The Pathways programme offers tailored support to young people between the ages of 14 to 18 around all aspects of employability, such as CV building, interview techniques and confidence building. Elsewhere, EitC has been delivering the National Citizen Service for over 10 years, providing experienced based opportunities for young people aged 15 to 17, supporting them with the transition into adulthood.
The charity’s employability arm, ‘Working Well’ offers work coaching and direct employability support to adult participants struggling to enter or re-enter the labour market as well as general support with CV updates, job searching and job applications. S.C.O.R.E (Supporting Career Opportunities, Recruitment and Employment) also sits under Working Well, supporting young people aged 18 to 30 with employment support and recruitment into jobs and apprenticeships in the health and social care sector.
Significant highlights for the charity’s pathways arm in the 2022/23 season include the development and enhancement of the partnership with The Prince’s Trust to deliver opportunities to join the health and social care sector through their SCORE programme whilst the Pathways team introduced a competitive internship initiative with Weightmans Law and Liverpool Crown Court. Additionally, despite undergoing a rebrand nationally towards the end of the season, the charity’s NCS programme embarked on its 12th year of delivery and saw a return to residentials after a two-year hiatus.
Pathways
Nine people
from the charity’s Pathways programme have landed internships with UK law firm Weightmans.
As part of
the internship initiative, 120 students contributed at different competitive and informative stages.
The Pathways team
offered increased workplace experiences to over 300 students.
60 Pupils
achieved a sector-based qualification as part of a brand-new sports programme.
National Citizen Service
Over 400 young people
took part in Everton in the Community’s NCS programme during the summer break of 2022, raising a phenomenal £6,500 for charities across the region.
Seven programmes
were hosted throughout the months of July to August where a total of 424 young people aged 15- 17 from across the Liverpool City Region completed the two-week programme.
Engaged with
over 790 students through skills-booster activities, wider delivery and youth voice activities during the 2022/23 season.
Employability
Working Well and S.C.O.R.E
Established the Blue Base Jobs Fair in collaboration with a number of external partners.
80 candidates
were supported on the SCORE programme.
57 candidates
were supported on the Working Well programme.
EitC’s Digital Skills Lab
and E-STEAM
Opened in November 2022, the region’s first community based Digital Skills Lab is aimed at tackling the widening skills gap for young people.
Made possible thanks to funding from the ‘First STEAM Squad’, the lab equips people in Merseyside with sought after digital skills and aims to inspire an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) subjects. It focuses on a hands-on approach to involve participants in their own learning process and enables them to develop 21st Century skills to help prepare them for the future.
And whilst the Digital Skills Lab is primarily focused on providing STEM-learning opportunities to children in Merseyside, it is available to people of all ages and abilities, with the E-STEAM team having created bespoke learning packages including participants from EitC’s 41 Goodison ‘Safe Hands' programme.
In partnership with the Working Well team, EitC launched a weekly ‘Digital Drop-In’ session at the lab in response to a Liverpool City Region research report in 2022 that highlighted the Liverpool 4 area as one of seven areas where there was no community-based facility for people to ‘get online’. Through working alongside the LCRCA ‘Digital Inclusion Network’, EitC has a team of staff and volunteers available to become ‘Digital Champions’ to provide help, support, and guidance to those who access the drop-in sessions.
Over 3,000
visits to EitC’s Digital Skills Lab since it opened.
Participants aged two to 91 have accessed the Lab.
The facility has been widely used by SEND groups including EitC’s 41 Goodison ‘Safe Hands’ programme who have benefitted immensely through engaging with the technology available.
Impact Model – Support
The support arm of Everton in the Community offers an array of early intervention and targeted support programmes to support young people from across Liverpool City Region with the aim of promoting community cohesion, steering them away from negative influences and raising aspirations.
‘41 Goodison’ is a unique home-like environment that provides young people with access to a safe space where they can develop life skills and access a range of opportunities. Having that vital ‘front door’ to knock at enables young people to access a one-stop shop of support that helps them stabilise their lives and gives them a sense of belonging.
The charity delivers three bespoke programmes as part of 41 Goodison, giving young people aged 10 to 19 the opportunity to make significant and long-lasting life changes. ‘Stay Onside’ is an intervention programme for those at risk of exclusion or have been excluded, ‘Safe Hands’ supports young people who are not accessing mainstream education and ‘Break the Line’ works with those who are at risk of exploitation or involved in County Lines.
Elsewhere, ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ is the charity’s four bedroom residential property and extensive outreach service supporting homeless young adults across the city.
Significant highlights for the charity’s support arm in the 2022/23 season include the development of a sensory room at 41 Goodison Road whilst 90% of participants on ‘Stay Onside’ re-engaged in full-time education. Meanwhile, HIWTHI worked closely with Merseyside Police supporting their initiative Operation Stonehaven, and as part of that, provided intensive targeted support to four at-risk and in-need young adults.
41 Goodison
Engaged with
243 young people through its three bespoke programmes.
Delivered more than
100 qualifications to participants.
100% of participants
have reported improved physical and mental wellbeing.
Home Is Where
The Heart Is
Nine young adults lived
in the HIWTHI residential house and have been supported by the team to achieve their personal goals.
78%
of these young adults have now moved into their own accommodation.
18 students
were supported through tailored outreach support, with five moving into the HIWTHI property.
Football Development
The charity’s Football Development strand continued to grow during the 22/23 season, with a focus on supporting transitions into football pathways.
We have focused on three key programmes during this time frame:
Kick the Stigma – Delivered in partnership with the Growth Company to support adults who are currently on license conditions under probation. This programme uses football as an engagement tool to then focus on mental health and wellbeing.
Street Soccer Academy – Working together using football as a catalyst to help educate, upskill and inspire vulnerable and homeless young people.
Twinning in the Community – Working collaboratively with Probation and Twinning to deliver a Level 1 football coaching qualification to adults who are currently under probation.
Across the three programmes
we have worked with over 100 programmes and developed six cohorts.
Football Development has helped
to provide positive pathways to participants including referrals into wider EitC programmes, volunteering opportunities or employability.
40 participants
who were under probation attained a Level 1 football coaching qualification.
Health and Wellbeing
Everton in the Community's Health and Wellbeing department fulfils a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing needs of Merseyside's most vulnerable and hardest to reach population groups.
The charity's health and wellbeing provision aims to positively challenge health inequalities and improve overall quality of life for society's most in-need and at-risk. This work continues to expand its reach and reputation for designing and delivering responsive and impactful public health initiatives that generate significant social return.
Everton in the Community's involvement with the European Alliance for Sport and Mental Health (EASMH) has continued, with EitC’s health and wellbeing staff collaborating with fellow sport, physical activity and mental health clinicians, academics, and practitioners from across Europe.
Partnership work with the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) continued through the year, working closely on ‘Welcome through Football’, which is a project that uses football as an engagement tool to help break down cultural barriers; creating a safe and welcoming environment for refugees and asylum seekers to play football together.
EitC’s commitment to supporting serving and ex-military personnel continues to make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and their families, further cementing its position as a market leader in the veteran support community and May 2023 saw the launch of a new programme designed specifically to support women from the military with the transition back to civilian life. Made possible thanks to funding received from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme, ‘Stand by Her’ is a two-year programme dedicated to engaging female veterans into accessing wraparound support post military service.
The charity’s older adult provision has grown in size and reach, with the delivery of a postural stability falls prevention programme to support residents across Knowsley who have experience of falls or are at risk of falls. ‘Safe and Steady' delivers a series of low-impact physical activity sessions for residents across Knowsley to access to improve their balance, strength and coordination as well as a comprehensive range of evidence-based health and wellbeing support to assist older people to improve health behaviours, mental wellbeing, and overall quality of life.
The ‘Pass on the Memories’ programme delivers vital social and wellbeing support for those living with dementia and their carers. A new dedicated coordinator for the programme was recruited, with a mental health nurse now being part of EitC's full-time staff to lead Pass on the Memories as well as enhance mental health support across the charity.
The ‘Tackling the Blues’ provision provides mental health literacy support for children and young people in schools across Merseyside. As well as continuing this delivery in partnership with Edge Hill University, the Tackling the Blues team also established a new partnership and programme with Movember, delivering the ‘Ahead of the Game’ programme to schools, community sports clubs, coaches and parents.
100% of participants
reported improved strength and balance as a result of their involvement in the programme.
Since its launch in 2013
3,222 students have taken part in the Tackling the Blues programme.
The charity’s veterans programme has supported over
700 veterans to date.
Disability
Everton in the Community’s disability provision continued to grow and provide vital opportunities for disabled children, young people, and adults across the Liverpool City Region during the 2022/23 season.
Funded by the Premier League and the PFA, the charity’s disability programme empowers disabled people into taking an active part in mainstream society and providing them with the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers.
Everton in the Community has been delivering its disability programme since 2000, and last year more than 650 disabled children engaged with the programme through outreach work with schools, Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) camps and provision based at the charity’s Goodison Campus.
Furthermore, new developments for the charity’s disability provision saw the relaunching of its long-standing collaboration with Alder Hey Children's Hospital, which spans over 14 years. This year saw the disability team delivering online sessions to patients, assisting with their rehabilitation.
The year was a particularly successful season for the 14 disability football teams that represent Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community at weekly training sessions and monthly competitive fixtures. Notable highlights include Everton Amputees clinching both the National EAFA league title and the FA Disability Cup, whilst six players from the side were also involved in England’s inaugural Nations League title triumph in the summer.
A newly reformed Everton partially sighted football team are now competing in the National Visually Impaired League whilst the charity’s Pan-Disability C Band won the treble, taking home the Merseyside Ability Counts League two title, the Merseyside Ability County League Cup and Bootle Bucks Inclusion FC Ability Counts Cup.
Additionally, players from the Women’s Pan-Disability team participated in this year’s European Football for Development tournaments held in Portugal and Germany, with the charity fielding one of the only teams that had any female representation.
130 young people from SLD and MLD schools across Merseyside took part in the charity’s annual Disability Schools Sports Festival with 130 pupils taking part in a wide range of sports including sit-down volleyball and archery.
The disability programme organised work placements for five disabled young people in 2022/23.
Everton in the Community’s HAF camp offering was expanded to additional boroughs across Merseyside including Halton, St Helens, Liverpool and Wirral.
Neighbourhood
Everton in the Community’s Neighbourhood programme play an important role in the way the charity connects and engages with its local community with its key priorities tackling health, providing social, building a, and improving the overall quality of life for marginalised groups in the community.
The Everton Cares programme supports local residents with workshops to improve health and wellbeing focusing on healthy eating, sleep hygiene and mindfulness alongside one hour of physical activity. Participants on the programme have a variety of long-term health conditions such as long Covid, fibromyalgia, COPD, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety with the age of attendees ranging from 28 to 71 years old.
The Neighbourhood team also deliver the Starting Well programme which consists of weekly stay and play sessions, sing and sign classes, fortnightly dad’s clubs and a monthly educational dad’s class. The programme engages with parents through the 1,001 critical days (conception through to age two) offering advice, support and opportunities to bond with their children in a safe and engaging environment.
The ‘Sweeper Zone’ project sees children from local schools take part in a litter pick around Goodison Park on a
matchday and receiving a match ticket as a reward for their efforts. The popular project has been delivered in partnership with Merseyside Police for seven years and last season, 190 children had the chance to opportunity to attend an Everton home game.
Launched in May 2022 to combat the current cost-of-living crisis, the Blue Base Pantry is open to Liverpool 4 residents, EitC participants and families who have children that attend a local school. The Pantry provides members with access to discounted food and hygiene products for a small weekly fee.
Everton in the Community supported 140 crisis referrals last season from both EitC programmes and external partners. These referrals cover a wide range of needs such as essential household furniture, baby items, clothing, welfare advice and emergency food parcels. Due to the increasing number of complex referrals received, the charity partnered with Citizens Advice Liverpool to host an Advice Worker on a 12-month secondment who provides welfare support to staff, participants and crisis referrals.
The Blue Base Pantry recorded more than
7,000 visits in the 2022/23 season and has established itself as the third largest
Your Local Pantry in the UK.
In May 2023, The Blue Base Pantry was awarded Silver at the national Football Business Awards for Best Corporate Responsibility Scheme.
The appointment of a Citizens Advice Link Worker on a 12-month secondment has seen the charity support 133 unique clients, assisting with a total income gain of £78,665 for clients.
The Starting Well programme supported
113 parents during the 22/23 season via a combined total of over 1,000 hours of engagement.
The People's Place
The 2022/23 season saw Everton in the Community open the doors to The People’s Place, the first purpose-built mental health and wellbeing hub attached to a Premier League football club. The People’s Place was officially opened by Evertonian and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham with over 100 stakeholders in attendance, who all played a role in making the ambitious vision a reality.
Made possible thanks to significant contributions from the Steve Morgan Foundation, the Football Foundation, Causeway Technologies and its founder Phil Brown, the multi-million-pound facility offers a first-of-its-kind service delivered by a football club’s community foundation.
The building, located less than 150 metres from Goodison Park, has allowed for a huge expansion of the charity’s mental health offering alongside providing educational and employment support, using virtual reality, immersive experiences and artificial intelligence to complement delivery. The People’s Place offers a layer of professional support from GPs, clinical psychologists and mental health nurses ensuring that clinical services are accessible and, importantly, offered in a non-clinical way to effectively engage people who don’t tend to engage in mainstream services.
Significant highlights for The People’s Place so far include partnering with AstraZeneca to set up England’s first heart and lung community-based screening hub as well as providing a space for healthcare organisations across Merseyside to deliver events from such as a Mersey Care stakeholder conference.
The People’s Place has already had a significant impact in the local community with two trainee psychologists being based in the hub, thanks to Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust.
During the first quarter of delivery at
The People’s Place, just over 100 people
walked into the hub seeking mental health support.
50 people have already received in-direct and group mental health support from across EitC’s programmes, without needing to join a waiting list.
Two individuals were classed as ‘in-crisis’ and were either signposted onto one of the charity’s programmes or external support.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a vital component of all that Everton in the Community is and does. To put it simply, the charity wouldn’t be where it is today without the contribution of its amazing volunteers. With more than 60+ programmes and initiatives, the support of volunteers who selflessly donate their time to our charity is invaluable.
There are roles available for all skills, interests and availability and regardless of whether or not people can volunteer on a weekly basis or even just a couple of times a year, their contribution will make a huge difference to people in the local community who need it most.
Volunteering with Everton in the Community can help you gain confidence by providing you with the opportunity to try something new, make new friends, learn new skills and unlock hidden talents.
Charity volunteers have continued to demonstrate exceptional commitment, actively supporting a range of community activities across Merseyside during the last 12 months with Everton in the Community now having over 200 active volunteers.
In April 2023, 23 volunteers embarked on a life-changing experience to Nakuru, Kenya. During their visit, they worked in two schools based in local slums. Their work included teaching essential subjects such as Maths and English to children as well as supporting essential construction work to both schools. One of the main outcomes from the trip was providing one school with new sanitary facilities built by the volunteers, thus contributing to a healthy learning, and living environment for the students.
The creation of ‘Digital Skill Champions’ brings a new opportunity for volunteers to be involved in, allowing them to support members of the public with their varying digital needs whilst Bruntwood and Liverpool One became the first corporate volunteers to support the Blue Base Pantry and we continued to work in partnership with external organisations who require volunteering support.
This year has also seen the charity work towards a renewal of the Investors in Volunteers Accreditation which saw 47 volunteers and several staff members participate in focus groups and workshops.
Income Generation
The 22/23 season was one of significant change for the charity’s Income Generation team as the department reorganised to focus on generating unrestricted revenues for the charity. This transition led to a review of current processes, structures, and performance to optimise the resources available in order to deliver results in each financial year, while also ensuring the charity opened the widest possible routes for every type of supporter to engage and raise funds for the charity in the future.
Critical to this success was a need to develop a closer day-to-day working relationship with the commercial operation of the football club and significant progress has been made in this area over the last 12 months across Partnerships, matchday revenues, integrated communications, and Fan Engagement. This work has led to a stronger platform for future revenues and greater integration as we look to revenue generating opportunities for the final seasons at Goodison Park and the possibilities for the new Everton Stadium.
In the challenging post-pandemic and cost-of-living crisis environment, the focus is to ensure supporters grasp the valuable impact of EitC's work and comprehend how the charity generates revenue to fund its initiatives. We are committed to ongoing innovation, providing diverse engagement options for supporters, such as participating in the People’s Lottery, making one-off or monthly donations, enrolling their employer in our Payroll Giving scheme, or corporate leaders joining our mission through Corporate Relationships or Charity of the Year.
A revamped digital and data strategy, integrating a new approach to managing donor information through the Club’s Salesforce platform.
The charity’s portfolio of corporate relationships continued to grow as new partners were added and Official Club Partners extended their commercial relationship from the football club to the charity.
Charity of the Year partner Coeus Insurance Services raised £25,000 for Everton in the Community through a highly successful corporate golf day.
The Goodison Park Sleepout raised over £30,000 in support of Home Is Where The Heart Is.
The charity successfully launched the 1878 Community Club which is limited to 1878 members worldwide and involves an annual donation of £1,878 to sustain Everton in the Community’s core costs and programmes.
Season Review
July
Everton in the Community welcomes St Johns Shopping Centre as a Charity of the Year partner.
Participant’s Stories
Peter, a participant on Everton in the Community’s Stand Together programme rediscovered himself thanks to the sessions.
"When I first started going to the sessions, there were only 12 of us but over the years I’ve met so many people who I’ve become close friends with.
“I love any activity which makes me smile. We’ve had a few intergenerational sessions where we mix with Everton’s parents programme and their young children. Seeing the toddlers enjoying music and dancing absolutely makes my day.
“I’ve been in a lot of pain recently with my legs which affects my mobility, and I can’t dance as much as I’d like to anymore, but I actually forgot about the pain for a while during that session because I was having such a good time dancing and singing along to the music.
“It’s not just about the sessions, I’ve enjoyed all sorts of support workshops and events the programme has put on over the years.
“Even though I do suffer with arthritis now, I can’t miss Tuesday’s session, it was awful during the pandemic when I couldn’t go.
“This programme has been so important for me – I found myself stuck in a rut after I retired, and this instantly gave me a buzz again. I look forward to coming every week and only wish I found out about it sooner, it’s brilliant and we really are The People’s Club.”
Joe, a participant on Everton
in the Community’s Premier
League Kicks programme:
"Before I started the programme, I was socially isolated, didn’t really go out of the house much and didn’t really start many conversations.
“That all changed when I joined Everton in the Community’s PL Kicks though, they made me feel included and invited me down to manage one of our youth teams against Wigan Athletic’s Community Trust because I couldn’t play.
“In that moment, it boosted my self-confidence massively as I had to manage and talk in front of a big group of kids, so it really put my social speaking skills to the test.
“I got the chance to represent Everton at a regional tournament and captain the team. We managed to win the tournament on goal difference, with just one or two goals separating us from the runners-up.
“The whole experience made me feel so special and alive – lifting the trophy with my teammates, I felt like I was in Goodison Park!
“Going to Finch Farm and meeting the Everton Men’s first team players at the EitC showcase was one of the best experiences of my life.
“Thank you for helping me to become a better person.”
Michael, a participant on Everton in the Community’s Premier League Kicks programme, who also captained a team of the charity’s participants representing team England at the Street Child World Cup in Qatar:
"I was referred onto the Everton programme because in school I was causing problems and misbehaving, and I think the school recognised that I needed a bit of help.
“I joined Kicks and at first there was just six of us, all impulsive and reckless. The first session we had was about mental health and the staff listened to our personal stories and tried to understand why we behaved the way we did.
“Eventually, we were invited to the Street Child World Cup. Street Child World Cup is basically all about taking kids off the street and giving them the opportunity to play football as well as using their voices to speak up about the issues that they face in their daily lives.
“It was incredible, especially being the captain of my own country. It was an honour to represent England and Everton in the Community. From that, I won the CEO Award at the Breakthrough Awards.”
“I want to work for Everton and be a Youth Worker, run my own sessions and teach kids leadership skills and ways to cope with their mental health and that’s down to my own experiences with EitC.”
“Without the charity I’d be lost, and I wouldn’t have a goal to work towards. I’m just really grateful to EitC, they’ve given me loads of opportunities.”
Community Impact Recognition
North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards - Tackling Health Inequalities Awards, Tackling the Blues.
North West Football Awards - Community Club of the Year, Everton in the Community.
Edge Hill University Career Awards - Graduate Employer of the Year.
Football Business Awards - Best Community Scheme - Premier League.
Football Business Awards - Best Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme.
Strategic Partners
Get in Touch
To find out more about the work of Everton in the Community and/or to support us please contact 0151 319 4018 or email: community@evertonfc.com
Everton in the Community, Goodison Park,
Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL.
Reg. Charity no: 1099366.
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