Students from Burton Albion Community Trust’s Premier League Inspires programme have come together to develop meaningful social action projects as part of this year’s Inspires Challenge, centred around the theme of Mental Health and Wellbeing for Young People.
Hosted at the Pirelli Stadium, students took part in the Boardroom Challenge, where they engaged in in-depth discussions surrounding mental health before collaborating in small teams to design impactful project ideas aimed at supporting young people’s wellbeing.
In the afternoon, groups presented their proposals to a panel including:
- Steve Guest (BAFC Women’s Interim Head Coach and BACT Women’s & Girls Team Leader)
- Olivia Norton (BACT Marketing & Partnerships Manager)
- Kieren Laverick (Community Engagement Manager, Premier League Foundation)
- Ciaran Gilligan (Burton Albion First-Team Player)
The judges commended the high standard of ideas and the dedication demonstrated by every group. After careful consideration, one team was chosen to represent Burton Albion Community Trust at the National Inspires Challenge finals, following an outstanding project concept designed to enhance mental health support for young people. Burton Albion Community Trust will also support two additional groups to bring their projects to life within the community.
We extend our sincere appreciation to MPWR for their support of our event. Their team actively engaged in discussions throughout the mental health workshops and provided valuable guidance to participants as they developed their proposal ideas. Their involvement contributed meaningfully to the quality and impact of the Inspires Challenge.
Charlotte Hall, Alternative Education Deliverer & Premier League Inspires Lead, said: “It was great to see all the learners coming up with some well thought out projects of how to improve mental health and wellbeing in young people. The groups were so committed and engaged throughout the day, and we saw some fantastic presentations to the boardroom panel. Everyone should be so proud of what they achieved.”
This year’s challenge aligns with Children’s Mental Health Week, amplifying the importance of empowering young people to address wellbeing topics. Selected images and stories from the event will also be used to support Mental Health Awareness Week in May.
For more information on our Premier League Inspires Programme, please contact charlotte.hall@burtonalbionct.org.
