After the recent flooding in the area, 34 academy players aged 16 to 17 have spent time in the local community, helping out with those who have been affected by the recent flooding, as part of their NCS programme.
NCS (National Citizenship Service) is a platform that offers young people the chance to build their independence and make a positive impact to the local community.
During the first ten years of the partnership between NCS and the EFL Trust, from 2011 to 2021, the programme engaged with more than 65,000 young people, including 53 direct partnerships to football clubs.
The academy players were split over two sites: Bridge Street on Derby Road and Tapton Terrace, which is located near the banks of the River Rother.
Nigel Smith from the academy said: “The NCS programme is about community volunteering, life skills and employability.
“We’re choosing to focus on and support local community programmes through NCS and working with our club chaplain, Paul Hollingworth, based at Lifehouse Church, is one of the programmes we can help support.
“They were clearing up flood water, moving furniture out, clearing out houses and cleaning debris up. They were all given a bucket of cleaning goods, bags, clothes and disinfectants, which had been donated by the public.”
On the importance of the academy players helping out in the community, Nigel added: “I think it affords them the realism and impact on people’s lives.
“It’s all about learning new skills, that’s the type of sight they’ll remember for their whole lives. They just couldn’t believe it.
“They were all keen to get involved, there was some really good effort all-round and they are a credit to the Trust. The ethos that academy manager Neil Cluxton is instilling within them shone through.”
Going forward there will be other opportunities for the academy players to complete more work as part of their NCS programmes, helping out with Trust projects such as Camp Inspire, HAF (Holiday Activities & Food Programme) and other local Trust sessions.
