Walsall FC Foundation receive £35,000 funding to continue Back On Your Feet employability project with Walsall College

Walsall FC Foundation has been awarded a £35,000 grant from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund to support the residents of Walsall in their quest for employment, and improve physical and mental wellbeing.

‘Back on your Feet’ delivered by Walsall FC Foundation, Walsall College and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), was also highly commended at the West Midlands Adult Learning Awards for its outstanding impact.

Judges praised the programme for helping individuals aged over 50 address barriers to employment, with many retraining for new careers.

The ‘Back On Your Feet’ programme will now work with 9 cohorts over the next three years, including 50+, 18-24 year-olds and 25-49 year-olds, to address their unique challenges in finding employment.

The project will include 12-weeks of football-based activity, followed by an employment workshop looking at topics such as CV writing, interview techniques and other skills to help participants with their future employment prospects.

This approach helps participants to raise their fitness and confidence levels, explore training and education opportunities, and meet others in similar situations to pave the way for mutual support and friendship opportunities.

Adam Davy, Director at Walsall FC Foundation, said: “We are delighted to win the Highly Commended Award as it shows how powerful the partnership is between the Club and the College.

“This project has been developed, and shaped, over the last two and a half years to ensure we get maximum outcomes for the participants.  The primary outcome is that we get people back in to employment and training.

Our success on this is almost 50% of all participants, which is well above national statistics. Extra outcomes have included increased health & wellbeing, raising confidence and friendships.

“The project has become a jewel in the crown for the Foundation and we are so pleased that our recent application to the Sky Bet Building Foundations Fund has been approved and we can extend the project for another 3 years.  All staff do a wonderful job delivering the sessions and we can’t wait to continue the programme and the partnership with Walsall College.”

James Norris, Assistant Principal for Adults and Workbased Learning at Walsall College added: “The Back on Your Feet programme plays an important role in addressing some of the challenges faced by local jobseekers, whether that’s limited access to training, lack of confidence, or simply needing a supportive environment to take the first step.

“It helps show participants that employers are able to recognise their existing life skills, experience and future potential, and that with the right support, they can move forward, both in work and in life.

“This award recognition encourages us to continue working with key partners to develop this provision for others in our community and build on its impact.”

The Adult Learning Awards showcase the remarkable achievements of adult learners, as well as the collaborative efforts of employers and training providers working in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority.

These awards underline the West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker’s commitment to making sure residents have access to high-quality skills provision and meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The Adult Learning Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our adult learning champions and show that there is a wealth of talent and enormous potential in the region.

“It’s an important opportunity to recognise the role played by employers and supporting organisations to help residents improve their employment prospects, whether through apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, or other innovative programmes.

“These awards showcase the incredible work already changing people’s lives.

“Congratulations to the winners, highly commended and everyone who has been involved for sharing your inspirational experience and journeys.”

Stephen Evans, chief executive of Learning and Work Institute, the independent policy and research organisation who helped develop the awards, said: “When adults learn, our society and economy thrive.

“That’s the message of our new campaign – to Get the Nation Learning – an ethos shared by the West Midlands Adult Learning Awards.

“We are proud to have partnered with the WMCA for a third year to deliver these awards, and we congratulate all the winners for 2025. We hope their stories encourage more individuals and organisations to transform lives through learning.”

Six EFL Club Charities have received a grant in the second phase of funding in 2025, which aims to improve the qualifty of life within communities through the access to, and quality of, football provisions and initiatives. The clubs that successfully applied for funding were Bradford City, Colchester United, Coventry City, Huddersfield Town, Shrewsbury Town and Walsall.

Applications covering projects across a range of categories, such as improving local sporting facilities or promoting the physical and social benefits of the game, were considered, and rubber-stamped by a panel of industry experts including Sky Bet ambassador Jeff Stelling on Thursday 12^th June.

The Building Foundations Fund is in its second year and represents the largest multi-year sponsor-backed fund dedicated solely to community activity and the process offers the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants of up to £100,000 to invest in ongoing programmes or to develop new initiatives.