Raise Your Game
Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, is pleased to announce its fifth national Raise Your Game conference will take place on Tuesday 28 April 2015. The mentoring event, in association with Investec, will be held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Registration is FREE and is NOW OPEN with 300 spaces available.
The conference provides a unique insight into working in football, with advice and inspiration provided by industry-leading individuals from across the game. Last year’s conference saw over 300 attendees descend on Wembley Stadium, which included one:one mentoring sessions, workshops, panel discussions and keynote speeches.
Heather Rabbatts CBE, Lord Sebastian Coe, Ipswich Town assistant manager Terry Connor, England legend Rachel Yankey, Daily Telegraph journalist Henry Winter and Sangi Patel, assistant physio at Queens Park Rangers, are just some of those that have given their backing to the Raise Your Game series since its introduction to Kick It Out’s Mentoring and Leadership Programme.
The successful format from previous years is to be continued, with opportunities for attendees to gain a better understanding of how to access an appropriate career within football; including management and coaching, grassroots and community, administration, player services, media and communications, refereeing and physiotherapy.
“The Raise Your Game conference has gained a deserved reputation over the last five years for providing aspiring individuals, looking to break into the football industry, with opportunities to gain permanent employment, placements and work experience,” said Troy Townsend, Kick It Out’s Education and Development Manager, who leads the Mentoring and Leadership Programme.
“We’ve already seen mentees secure positions with the Premier League, The Football Association, ITV, various BBC Radio stations, MailOnline, Birmingham County FA, West Riding County FA, Sports Interactive, West Bromwich Albion FC, Middlesbrough FC and Coventry City FC in a variety of roles, and there are going to be more placements becoming available, so it’s an exciting time to be involved.”
Last year, 1216 one:one mentoring sessions took place at the Raise Your Game conference with 24% of mentees coming from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. Feedback from the event showed that 92% of mentees gained what they expected or more, and social media interaction was constantly flowing throughout the day with the dedicated hashtag #RYG mentioned over 2,000 times.
Keynote speakers, mentors, the themes of the workshops and panel discussions will be announced in due course with lots of exciting developments to come. To book your FREE place please [b]click here[/b], and join the conversation on social media by using #RYG.