Trelleborg engages in various activities dedicated to supporting children and young people in their development. The initiatives are often related to learning, leadership, or sport.
Sporting initiatives around the world, including the Trelleborg SportsClub, encourage healthy physical activity by making sport widely accessible. Activities also promote an equal and inclusive society and aim to strengthen motivation and leadership skills.
A recent initiative that primarily benefits teenage girls is the funding of coaching courses at AFC Chellaston, a soccer club located near Trelleborg’s manufacturing operation in Leicester, England.
AFC Chellaston started as a football club for boys in 1992 but has expanded enormously, thanks to various sponsorships and the efforts of its volunteers.
One of those volunteers is Laura Barron, a physical education teacher. In addition to managing two mixed football teams, she is a member of the AFC Chellaston committee that is responsible for girls’ football development.
As part of its local social engagement, Trelleborg offered AFC Chellaston a sponsorship.
“It was decided that the Trelleborg sponsorship needed to provide a pathway to further opportunities rather than be a one-off event,” says Barron. “The idea was that it enabled personal development and future employability through fun and engaging learning.”
So far, 31 teenagers have participated in two coaching courses, which took place in 2022. Six of the girls are already coaching others and three more will start after their school exams. All of the girls are currently volunteering through Derby County Community Trust at various sporting events.
Seventeen-year-old Holly has been playing football since the age of eight and says that it makes her happy. The teenager participated in one of the courses and is now coaching younger girls. “I like seeing the players progressing and enjoying the sessions with their friends,” she says.
“I like the challenge and the intensity and also the friends I have made playing football. The course was a good introduction to coaching. It also helped me with my self-confidence.”
Following the success of the courses, Barron explored ways to help the teenage girls develop more career opportunities. One of the best ways to do this was through a refereeing qualification course, which has now been planned and is being funded by Trelleborg. A total of 24 girls will attend.
“The sponsorship highlighted the demand and need for girls-only opportunities,” Barron says. “Many girls felt more empowered and confident after attending the girls-only session rather than the mixed gender one. It has given the girls a chance to explore leadership in a professional setting, which may then further fuel career pathways.”
Barron says that without the funding from Trelleborg, the courses would not have taken place. “The funding enabled the course to be advertised and the venue to be sourced. As it was a whole event, the girls would not have been able to secure a position on the course independently.”
