Seven years ago, representatives of the Swans Trust decided to put together a project to make more youngsters aware of the work of the Trust and the Club. It was felt this could be best achieved by directing through local secondary school pupils within their examination courses.
Extended discussions were held with the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) and eventually this led to the Swans Trust devising an approved “Challenge” for pupils in the 14-16 age group that formed part of their Welsh Baccalaureate and Key Skills Qualifications. Pupils would be asked to devise and present ideas that would improve the match day experience for younger supporters.
When tackling the Challenge many pupils had discussions at, and tours of, the stadium. They met Trust Board members and Club Ambassadors at their schools to review their progress. Finally, they pitched their ideas to panels often including Swansea legends Lee Trundle and Leon Britton. The WJEC’s website featured the work on the Challenge at Dwr y Felin School as an example of good practice while, at Leon’s suggestion, one of its group’s ideas was trialled at the stadium on a match-day. We were highly indebted to the Club for providing access to their facilities and tours of the stadium, all without charge, and without their support the initiative would not have been the success it was.
Over the next three years the number of schools involved in the project spread across three education authorities: Swansea, Neath/Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire. Well over a thousand pupils achieved the Challenge, helping them towards their Welsh Baccalaureate and the initiative looked as if it was going from strength to strength.
Then three years ago the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the project was literally stopped in its tracks. Visiting schools and any behind the scenes work at the stadium became impossible and there was no other alternative but to immediately suspend all work on the initiative.
Early last year Schools Initiative project leader and Trust Board member Roger Goodwin began reaching out to schools once again in an effort to build upon the great work that had been achieved before the pandemic. Understandably schools had other priorities at that time but thanks to their understanding and Roger’s perseverance the Schools’ Initiative was relaunched last Autumn.
This time, in addition to once more making our Welsh Baccalaureate Challenge available for 14–16-year-olds the project now offers Economics and Business Studies students up to the age of eighteen a chance to visit the stadium to gain an insight into the operation of one of Swansea’s larger businesses. While at the stadium pupils take part in a question-and-answer session about the structure of the Football Club from the business point of view and have a tour to illustrate aspects of its finances.
As before the Trust are extremely grateful to the Club for providing room hire and stadium tours free of charge without which the experience for the young people would be greatly diminished. Swansea City Supporter Liaison Officer Catherine Thomas has worked miracles to fit everything in for us, often at very short notice and Lee Trundle has again kindly committed his time to meeting the students at the Swansea.com stadium and in schools. Our heartfelt thanks are also due to the Swans Foundation for facilitating and being actively involved in the delivery of the programme.
This season we expect about 700 pupils and students between the ages of 14 and 18 to take part in the project.
Gowerton pupils have already completed the Welsh Bacc Challenge when they pitched their ideas to Lee Trundle at the school last month. Dwr y Felin is also taking on the Challenge and its pupils are looking forward to Curtis Grant from the Foundation and Lee Trundle visiting the school to view their ideas during February and March.
GCSE Business pupils from Gowerton and Vocational Business students from Gower College, Tycoch, visited the stadium during November and December where they found the experience “enjoyable, most interesting and very relevant to their studies”. In March we are expecting A Level Economics and Business students from both Olchfa School and Gower College, Gorseinon. And finally, GCSE Business pupils from Pontardulais School will complete the season when they visit the stadium in April.
The Trust, the Foundation and the Club will then review the value of the programme in terms of helping youngsters achieve qualifications while increasing their awareness of the importance of football to the community.
If anyone has any questions to ask about the Schools’ Initiative please email us at roger.goodwin@swanstrust.co.uk
Swansea City Supporters’ Trust
14th February 2023
