- Foxes Friday is a Premier League Kicks targeted programme with children from primary schools across Leicester
- Dexter, a participant, has progressed with communication and confidence thanks to Leicester City in the Community
- The session comprises of one-to-one and group mentoring at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
- Leicester City in the Community work with Leicester City Council’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health team
Leicester City in the Community’s Foxes Friday programme has aided children with building positive relationships and behaviour. Funded by the Premier League Charitable Fund and Children in Need, Foxes Friday aims to develop social skills, raise self-esteem and increase confidence.
Foxes Friday participants comprise of Key Stage 2 children from across schools in Leicester, who have been referred from Leicester City Council’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health team.
Dexter, a participant on the programme, has displayed significant progress through his mentoring, particularly with how he communicates with adults and the strong friendships that he has formed.
Jake Mayes, Targeted Intervention Lead at Leicester City in the Community, reflects on how Dexter has progressed during his time on Foxes Friday.
“Right at the start of the programme, if there was an issue, he wouldn’t really communicate with members of staff the way that he should be,” Jake explained.
“But by the end of the programme, he was communicating with us so much better – if there were any issues, he was more than confident to tell us anything that was bothering him.
“I think going to secondary school will be okay for Dexter; the skills and friendships he has built with Foxes Friday will go with him.”
Foxes Friday consists of children engaging with one-to-one mentoring with a Leicester City in the Community coach for six weeks, before joining the rest of the participants at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre altogether for the rest of the programme.
Spending every Friday together at the outdoor activity venue, participants took part in team-building activities and social action projects. The activities aim to help the children develop their social skills, as well as build positive relationships with new people.
Meanwhile, Dexter has highlighted his experiences on the project: “[Leicester City in the Community] have helped me with what to do if someone was annoying me, because I struggled with it a lot last year.
“They have helped me to control my anger in certain ways, as well as being confident with things such as speaking to adults. I will miss the coaches and my friends at Foxes Friday. Because to me, my friends mean a lot.”
To find out more information about Leicester City in the Community’s Foxes Friday programme, you can contact Targeted Intervention Lead, Jake Mayes: jake.mayes@lcfc.co.uk.