On Saturday, the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme will celebrate the impact that local young people have had on National Citizen Service, a youth programme aimed at 16 to 17-year olds.
As part of the #NCSMatchday campaign, a handful of lucky Wednesday fans - who all spent their school holidays meeting new people, learning new skills and giving back to their community through the programme - will be attending the game as special guests of the club.
In 2019, young people from EFL Trust’s network delivered over 650 social action projects, volunteering over 260,000 hours and raising over £230,000 for local charities and good causes.
The event, supported by SWFC and our Community Programme, is part of a wider EFL Trust (charitable arm of EFL) campaign that will see #NCSMatchday reach over 36 EFL and Premier League clubs across the country, highlighting the positive work that young people have done in their local community.
Last year alone, #NCSMatchday reached over 2m people, with over 450 players across the country celebrating NCS.
Football fan and NCS graduate, Georgia from Sheffield, said: “After such a great experience on NCS during autumn, I’m really looking forward to meeting the players to share our stories.
“NCS has opened so many doors for me, the friends I’ve made from different backgrounds have made me realise how diverse our community is, whilst the challenges we faced built this huge amount of confidence I now have.
“I hope #NCSMatchday inspires others to sign up and experience NCS, as well as be actively involved in their local community. I wouldn’t want them to miss out on this amazing opportunity.”
Owls defender Liam Palmer is an official ambassador for NCS and added: “I’m honoured to be the NCS ambassador for the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme and really look forward to celebrating all the great work local teens have done in the community while taking part.
“NCS is a fantastic programme that gives young people the chance to expand their horizons by getting involved in new activities and challenges, whilst also making great friends and benefiting our local area.