Character comes first: Darlington FC Foundation and Ethos FC team up for local schools
Darlington FC Foundation has announced an official partnership with Ethos FC to deliver football-led intervention programmes that build oracy, resilience and teamwork in primary and secondary schools across Darlington and the surrounding area. The partnership was marked on the pitch at Blackwell Meadows before Darlington FC's home match on Saturday 24 October.
The Partnership
Ethos FC is a grassroots football initiative built on one idea: character comes first. Founded by former teacher Paul Saxton, it uses the language and energy of football to help young people build oracy and communication skills, resilience, teamwork, confidence and leadership.
Through the partnership, Ethos FC will design and deliver programmes in schools under the Darlington FC Foundation banner. Each programme runs for six weekly sessions with a small, targeted group of up to eight pupils chosen by the school, so every young person gets a voice and a role.
The first programmes begin this term with Year 5 and 6 pupils at [Woodham Burn Community Primary School] in Newton Aycliffe and [Corporation Road Community Primary School] in Darlington. Programmes for secondary schools will follow.
Skills for life
Skills for Life builds confidence, cooperation, resilience and leadership through football. Pupils learn that it is OK to fail, take turns as captain, coach and referee, and write their own fair-play pledge. Literacy and numeracy are folded into every session, from tally charts to reflective writing, and each pupil keeps a Skills Journal to track their progress.
Darlo audio
Darlo Audio turns pupils into a football podcast crew. Over six weeks they research, script and record a short episode together, with roles from host and co-host to stats analyst and sound effects lead. It uses the spoken word of football broadcasting as a route into literacy, and is designed especially for young people who find traditional writing hard. The episode also gives pupils the chance to talk about their school, their town and their teams, and to speak up against racism in football.
What they said
Barry Thompson, CEO of Darlington FC Foundation, said: "[Draft for Barry to approve] Our Foundation exists to put Darlington FC at the heart of the community, and schools are where that starts. Ethos FC shares our belief that football can change young lives, and these programmes give pupils real skills they will carry well beyond the pitch. We are proud to welcome Ethos FC as an official partner."
Paul Saxton, founder of Ethos FC, said: "I grew up in a council house and left school with very little. I got where I am because people believed in me when it mattered. That is what this work is about: showing young people what they are capable of. Walking out at Blackwell Meadows to make this official was a proud moment, and I cannot wait to get started in schools with the Foundation."