Testimonials

Being a part of the learning academy for a number of years allowed me to develop so many skills I never knew I possessed whilst training full time and playing the sport I loved. The football used to keep me motivated and playing with like-minded players and knowledgeable coaches created such a great atmosphere. When on the course I gained my FA level 1 coaching badge and this made me decide I wanted to go to University.

While at University I became a sessional coach for the Foundation and this created an opportunity when I had completed my studies to get the full-time role I now have.

I loved being part of the WHU Foundation’s degree programme and thoroughly enjoyed my time on the course. Through the unique opportunities available I was able to build my CV with a range of experience within community and elite sport. The course gave me the knowledge, skills, networks, and confidence to successfully move into employment.

The West Ham United Foundation have been a big part of our whole system approach to tackling local issues such as Holiday Hunger. Working alongside 3 consortium groups in Essex, Basildon, Harlow and Chelmsford, they were able to share resources, provide coaches and most importantly share their experience of delivering holiday hunger programmes in the past, to help all projects across Essex to develop their approach. Ross and his team presented past projects and the impact they had had and have been integral to the development and delivery of the 3 consortium projects.

I’m a 30-year-old mum of two and we have been living in a women’s refuge since April. Living in a refuge has been difficult for us all, my children’s lives have been tipped upside down, but they have just taken it in their stride and don’t make too much fuss. I have watched my son’s confidence and happiness drop and I have been unable to help much. I was blessed and truly grateful to receive tickets for my son to take part in the Healthy Hammers summer camp this year. With thanks to the great team that were there doing activities with the children, I have slowly but surely watched my son rebuild his confidence in perfect timing before the start of school term again, my son has really come out of himself now and he is now much more happier than I have seen him in a long time. It’s nice to see him smile a real smile again.

I have been lucky to experience life and obtain a wider perspective. I have also realised that there is more to life guided by my personal mantra "Life is a journey and we choose our paths" Hence I opted to take the less trodden path which was applying for apprenticeships rather than following the popular route. I was happy to be chosen by LTSB among many to pursue accounting as well us be trained on leadership skills, interview skills and sports. Through this training, I was able to confidently go through several job interviews and recently, became successful at acquiring an opportunity with RSM as an Analyst in the Technology and Management Consulting department. I am currently enjoying my apprenticeship as I look to grow and progress my career.

WHU Foundation should be congratulated for their continued commitment to coach development. They have consistently supported the development of the individual through their coach education pathway, which goes beyond the delivery of formal coaching qualifications, helping them to develop both coaching and life skills allowing the coach to gain valuable experience.

The partnership we have with the WHUF is invaluable to our school. The Community Hub Officers deliver a wide range of extra-curricular activities for our students and also provide expert coaching in a variety of sports. They support students both inside and outside of the classroom, through working on literacy, numeracy and confidence building amongst others. Our students have great relationships with the hub officers, who provide mentoring and tailored interventions to support and develop them. We have also been able to access a range of programmes through the Foundation, such as Literacy Skills, Enterprise and Mental Health, all of which have benefitted our students greatly. Furthermore, the foundation have provided CPD opportunities for our staff to develop their knowledge and skills as well. We are really excited about what the future holds for our partnership and for all the great things we know are to come!