Foundation tutor Will named Community Icon of the Month
Will Brickell, the BHAFC Foundation’s Education & Employability Development Officer, has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to the Sussex community.
Will has been named as the latest Barclays Community Icon of the Month, an award which shines a light on individuals who have made a meaningful impact in their community.
It’s a new initiative which celebrates those who go above and beyond through Premier League-funded programmes to help and inspire others.
“I love working here and I’m proud to work for the Foundation,” Will said.
“The Foundation is a great force for good. We go into schools wearing the Albion badge and it makes the kids so excited to know that Brighton are coming.”
A large part of Will’s job is to deliver Premier League Primary Stars lessons to children in primary schools – a programme which uses the appeal of the Premier League to engage children and help them learn key early skills.
The BHAFC Foundation works with children at around 150 schools across Sussex, helping thousands of young people learn new skills and get active. Will plays a big part in helping the Foundation achieve that mission.
Will often finds himself supporting young people with a disability. As a deaf person, he knows exactly what they need, and his own early experiences have shaped his approach to teaching.
“Growing up I didn’t really have much support for my deafness, and being deaf every day was a massive challenge for me,” Will said.
“If I can teach people how to be kind, show good teamwork or show respect, they can use that and go out to spread that kindness and awareness to other people.
“To meet someone who understands you can make all the difference. The fact that I can come in and share my similar experiences with these young people is really impactful.
“When I work with pupils who are deaf they always clock immediately that I’m deaf too. At that point we start to talk about it, about our shared experiences, and they know that I understand them.”
Will, 31, joined the charity about four years ago, having previously worked as a PE teacher. Will’s role sees him work with children all over Sussex, and he was working at Queen’s Park Primary School in Brighton when he received his Community Icon of the Month award.
Adam Taylor, a teacher who has worked with Will at Queen’s Park Primary, said: “I’ve been so impressed with the way he includes children, the way he adapts his sessions to make sure every child feels like they’re a part of it.”
Tom Mahoney, Education and Employability Manager at the Foundation, has worked with Will for four years and is full of praise for the impact he’s had on the children he teaches.
“He’s on a mission to inspire young people, to make them feel included and wanted, to be able to achieve anything they want to,” Tom said.
The Foundation’s work in schools is all about helping young pupils learn the skills they need to succeed. For Will, it’s just as important that the children he works with grow up into well-rounded people.
“It’s not about us going in and turning them into professional footballers, it’s about us developing them as young people.”