Students from several Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation’s partner secondary schools participated in The Premier League Inspires Challenge 2023/24 during which they were tasked with creating a mentally healthy environment for the club, fans, partners and players.
Working alongside Foundation staff during their Premier League Inspires sessions in school over the past half term, the youngsters produced a range of social action projects, whilst also supporting the Premier League’s Inside Matters mental health campaign.
The message was simple, to remind everyone that it is okay not to be okay and of the importance of keeping up conversations on mental health.
Coming together at the Riverside, students from Grangefield Academy, North Shore Academy, Outwood Academy Acklam, Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth and Outwood Academy Normanby presented to a panel of judges made up of representatives from Middlesbrough Football Club, Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation and Teesside MIND.
Outwood Academy Acklam were the overall winners with their idea of a Mental Health Awareness Pocket Guide that anyone can use, including professional footballers. They will now represent Middlesbrough FC at the Premier League Inspires Challenge national final on Thursday April 25th at the Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal FC, alongside the other 44 Premier League Inspires Club Community Organisations.
The groups who did not progress to the national event will continue to develop their ideas with the support of the Boro and the Foundation.