Young people representing Arsenal in the Community joined hundreds of participants from across England and Wales at this year’s Premier League Inspires Challenge celebration - a national event using the power of football to empower 11-to-18-year-olds through mentoring, life skills and social action.
The Premier League Inspires Challenge forms part of the wider Premier League Inspires programme, which supports young people who may be at risk of not reaching their potential as they progress through education and into early adulthood. Through the Premier League Foundation, the Premier League currently funds 54 football club charities to deliver weekly Premier League Inspires sessions in secondary schools across the country.
This season’s Challenge tasked young people with developing social action projects to support mental well-being in their communities.
Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium hosted the celebration event, bringing together representatives from more than 50 football club charities to showcase their projects and share ideas.
Among those representing Arsenal was Amani, who spoke passionately about the importance of unity, inclusion and using football as a tool to bring people together.
“I’m Somali and Yemeni. I grew up in London surrounded by lots of different cultures,” Amani said. “Racism is still a big issue, so we’re trying to tackle it by creating football tournaments and educational workshops for primary and secondary school students.
“It makes me feel really proud that we’re trying to unite people.
“I didn’t realise how far this project would go. I never thought I’d be here at Everton, but our team worked really hard, and I’m so glad to be here. Creating this project means the world to me because it’s shown me what I’m capable of.
“It feels like a real community here. Everyone has come together, and it’s been heartwarming to see so many clubs interacting and sharing ideas.
“I’ve learned so much from the other teams, especially the importance of young people using their voices. Without Premier League Inspires, I wouldn’t be here.”

This year’s focus on mental well-being closely aligns with the Premier League’s Inside Matters initiative, which aims to raise awareness around mental health and encourage fans to check in on the well-being of others.
Premier League Foundation Chief Executive Alex White praised the impact of the Challenge and the creativity shown by participants.
“The Premier League Inspires Challenge gives young people a powerful platform to discuss and take action to improve mental wellbeing within their communities,” he said.
“This year’s theme encourages participants to champion positive mental wellbeing, break down stigma and create supportive environments where everyone feels able to thrive.”
Premier League Inspires is a personal development programme funded by the Premier League Foundation, using football to help young people aged 11-to-18 develop the confidence, skills and mindset needed to succeed in life.
To date, more than 40,000 young people across England and Wales have received over 135,000 hours of targeted support through the programme.
To find out more about Premier League Inspires, visit www.premierleague.com.



