Students put on puppet show to promote gender equality
A team of secondary school pupils travelled to Wembley to show off their special project promoting football for girls.
Pupils from Burgess Hill Academy were among hundreds of other schools that took part in this year’s Premier League Inspires Challenge, which saw pupils design their own projects about how to tackle gender inequality
The Burgess Hill Academy team decided to to raise awareness to younger pupils in their school by creating a sock puppet show – setting the scene of a girl who wants to play football but isn’t allowed to by her coach – with the aim of highlighting the challenges girls may face when it comes to having equal opportunities in football.
After winning their local heat, the team were invited to showcase their project at Wembley Stadium alongside 40 other schools.
One pupil from the Burgess Hill Academy, Hayden, said: “The moral of the story is anyone can follow their passion no matter what others say. Talent, hard work, and determination are what truly matter.
“I just want everyone to know that girls can play football like us, and we shouldn’t judge.”
The Premier League Inspires Challenge is a nationwide initiative supported by the Premier League and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) that uses football to empower 11–18-year-olds through life skills, mentoring, and social action.
This challenge is just one element of the Premier League Inspires programme, which the Foundation runs on a weekly basis to support 11–18-year-olds who may be at risk of not reaching their potential as they move through the education system and into early adulthood.
This Challenge builds upon the Premier League and Premier League Charitable Fund’s commitment to creating opportunities for all in communities across England and Wales.
Premier League Charitable Fund Interim Chief Executive Alex White said: “The Premier League Inspires Challenge gives young people the chance to collaborate on projects that create a positive difference in their community, by championing gender equality and promoting inclusive environments.
“Through taking part in the challenge, young people can build their confidence and gain skills in areas such as public speaking, project planning and teamwork.”
Launched in 2019, Premier League Inspires creates life-changing opportunities for young people who may be at risk of not reaching their potential to engage with activities, helping them to develop the personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life.
Using the power of football, the programme helps to prepare young people for further education and employment through a series of face-to-face mentoring sessions, workshops and social-action projects.
More than 30,000 young people from across England and Wales have received more than 130,000 hours of targeted support through the programme to date.