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Young people from Bradford promote positive mental well-being through the Premier League Inspires Challenge
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Young people representing Bradford City FC Community Foundation joined hundreds of their peers from across England and Wales in this year’s Premier League Inspires Challenge celebration, a national event that uses football to empower 11–to-18-year-olds through life skills, mentoring, and social action.
The Challenge is one element of the Premier League Inspires programme, which supports 11–to-18-year-olds who may be at risk of not reaching their potential as they move through the education system and into early adulthood. The Premier League, through its Foundation, currently funds 54 football club charities to run Premier League Inspires sessions in secondary schools on a weekly basis.
This season, young people have been tasked with a social action project to come up with ways in which they would support young people’s mental wellbeing in their communities. Earlier this season, Bradford City FC Community Foundation’s Premier League Inspires participants came together to share their project ideas. The winning team, from Oasis Academy Lister Park, developed a project to develop a mental health and wellbeing room which could act as a drop-in support resource.
"I wanted to do this because a lot of young people in our year do not have someone to talk to and there isn't really anything that can assist them," said Omodebare, a Premier League Inspires Challenge participant representing the Foundation. "A lot of young people lack confidence nowadays and we really want to build that as well as improving their social skills."It is wonderful to be a part of this. I'm proud of the team, and proud of myself, because it's almost like we're saving lives. You don't know what anyone could be going through and we're helping a lot of young people in our school."This will encourage me to keep going, keep helping people's mental health and keep building my confidence in talking to people. All I want to do is just help people become a better version of themselves. That's what all this is about."
The focus on mental wellbeing aligns closely with the Premier League’s Inside Matters initiative, which highlights the League’s and clubs’ ongoing commitment to raising awareness of the topic and encouraging fans to check in on the wellbeing of others
.Having won their local heat, Bradford City FC Community Foundation participants joined hundreds of young people at the Premier League Inspires Challenge celebration event at Everton's Hill Dickinson stadium at the end of April.
Darcie Sugden-Brook, Premier League Inspires Coordinator at the Bradford City FC Community Foundation, said: “I’m very proud of the young people I work with, and the way in which they are playing their part to support the mental health of both themselves and their peer group. They all had a fantastic time at the Hill Dickinson stadium, and enjoyed the opportunity to get to know their fellow Premier League Inspires Challenge participants, share ideas and experiences, and celebrate their work. I’d like to thank the Premier League Foundation and Everton in the Community for welcoming us, and affording young people in Bradford the opportunity to take ownership of, and influence the narrative surrounding, mental health support in the city.”
Premier League Foundation Chief Executive, Alex White, said: “The Premier League Inspires Challenge gives young people a powerful platform to discuss and take steps to improve young people’s mental well-being within their communities. This year’s theme encourages participants to champion positive mental well-being, break down stigma and create supportive environments where everyone feels able to thrive.“
By taking part in Premier League Inspires, young people can strengthen their confidence and build valuable skills - from communication and planning to teamwork and resilience - as they design meaningful social action projects that promote healthier, happier communities.”
Alongside the participant-focused activities, mental health specialists and representatives from across the sport and charity sectors came together for a round table event. The discussion focused on the role of football club charities in supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing and was delivered by the Premier League and Premier League Foundation in partnership with Comic Relief.
The three-year partnership with Comic Relief is using the power of football to put children and young people aged five-to-18 at the heart of a nationwide push for better mental health by giving them access to practical wellbeing tools, education resources and essential life skills, while tackling stigma head-on.
Bradford City FC Community Foundation began its Premier League Inspires delivery in October 2025, and since then has supported over 80 young people through more than 600 sessions across four local schools.
Nationally, more than 40,000 young people from across England and Wales have received more than 135,000 hours of targeted support through Premier League Inspires to date.To find out more about Premier League Inspires, please visit: www.premierleague.com
More on Premier League Inspires
Premier League Inspires uses the appeal of football to help children and young people aged 11-18 to develop the personal skills and positive attitudes to succeed in life. More than 40,000 young people have received more than 135,000 hours of targeted support across 1,000+ schools and educational facilities since the programme's launch in 2019. Premier League Inspires is delivered by 54 professional football club charities and is supported by the Premier League. More than £16m has been invested into the programme, via the Premier League Foundation, with a further £11.8m committed over the next three years.
To find out more, please visit www.premierleague.com/foundation/premier-league-inspires
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