Last week, participants from Fulham FC Foundation’s Premier League Inspires programme had the exciting opportunity to take part in a series of ‘Meet the Met’ workshops, hosted by The King’s Trust at their central London offices.
Students from Raynes Park High School and Hollyfield School, both working towards their King’s Trust Achieve qualifications, attended the event. The qualification is designed to help young people develop life skills and gain valuable experience, while building confidence to realise their full potential.
"Seeing our young people work hard over the last four months to complete The King’s Trust Achieve qualification has made me extremely proud, but watching them step into The King’s Trust offices, where their journey connects to a larger purpose, made it even more meaningful,” said Lauren Binfield, Youth Engagement Officer at Fulham FC Foundation.
“It gave them a glimpse into the heart of the organisation that believes in their potential.”
This was the first time The King’s Trust had delivered a workshop of this kind, aimed specifically at exploring young people’s perceptions of the police and challenging negative narratives. The session began with participants reflecting on the question: “What does the police mean to you?” and concluded with them revisiting the question to reflect on any changes in perspective.
The event featured a series of interactive workshops tailored to issues relevant to young people today, including:
- Careers in Policing: Exploring opportunities, essential skills, and qualities needed, with a focus on equality, diversity, and lived experiences.
- Safety and Rights: Understanding young people’s rights and responsibilities, particularly around stop & search.
- Drugs and Media: Discussing the influence of drill music and its role in promoting or challenging youth violence.
- County Lines: Raising awareness of exploitation, with strategies for staying safe and informed.
“Our students were completely engaged from beginning to end,” said Ms Opie, Head of Faculty at Hollyfield School.
“What worked especially well was that officers presented areas of policing that are so relevant to them: impact of drill music on crime, county lines and stop & search. Students all had positive interactions with police staff, which I’m sure will stay with them.”
The workshop provided a powerful platform for open dialogue and learning, helping young people to gain a deeper understanding of policing and community safety while equipping them with tools for their own personal growth and development.
“Today has been absolutely fantastic,” said Assistant Chief Inspector Val Charles, Lambeth Neighbourhoods. “From seeing the young people come in initially apprehensive, to watching them asking questions, trying on uniform and positively engaging with the officers has just been amazing. This has been a pilot session but having walked around the room, listening to the feedback and conversations, I’m hopeful that this will be a regular event.”
For more information on the Fulham FC Foundation's Premier League Inspires programme, please email schools@fulhamfc.com.
Premier League Inspires is a personal development programme, funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) through the Premier League Charitable Fund. The programme uses the power of football to inspire young people aged 11-to-18 to develop the personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life.
