The MEPs, all part of the European Socialist Group, were at the City of Manchester Stadium and Manchester City's Academy complex at Platt Lane on Wednesday 12th November for their annual Group Meeting. They were keen to learn more about Premier League community work and youth development practices. The Manchester City community department and academy staff were more than happy to accommodate them and showcase some of the excellent work that the club carries out in both areas.
The visit kicked off with a presentation from Manchester City's Head of Community Development, Alex Williams, who explained each of the projects that the club are involved in and pointed out that City, along with all of the other top flight English clubs, see CSR work as an important part of their business model.After the presentation the MEPs viewed community projects that were taking place at the stadium. These included a Nordic walking session for pensioners that is part of the 'Getting Manchester Moving' health project. Also on show was an enterprise initiative run by the club that encourages secondary school children to explore their entrepreneurial side, and a media project for year 6 pupils that is part of the award winning Playing for Success initiative, a partnership between the Premier League and the Department for Children, Schools and Families that has been going for more than ten years.
The MEPs later moved on to the club's Platt Lane facility that houses the Academy and, after a short introduction from the Premier League's Youth Development Manager Huw Jennings, heard Manchester City's Academy Director Jim Cassel explain the various factors involved in bringing a young player through from under 9 level to being ready for the first team.
Cassel said: "We've had a number of players come through the Academy and into the first team in recent years but people don't always realise the amount of work that goes into the education and welfare side of things for each and every player that we develop. This was something that the MEPs were particularly interested in and I think a few of them were pleasantly surprised when they realised how developing a good person is as important to us as developing a good player."
Arlene McCarthy, Manchester's Labour Euro MP, co-hosted the MEP visit and said:"Manchester City Football Club has a first class community programme. Their Kickz project has just won them a national award and the Academy is world class. I wanted my colleagues to see how football is being used in some of our most challenging communities to change lives for the better."
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