Everton in the Community
We’ve been working with Everton in the Community, Everton Football Club’s official charity, since 2013. It is a multi-award winning and sector-leading partnership which supports local communities through life course provision in sport, health (especially mental health), education and wellbeing.
Tackling the Blues
Delivered since 2015, Tackling the Blues is an award-winning sport and arts-based mental health literacy programme which has been supporting children and young people aged 6-16 who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, mental illness. It has engaged over 4,800 children and young people through weekly sessions across primary schools, secondary schools and community groups in the areas of Merseyside and West Lancashire, including some of the UK’s most under-resourced local authorities.
The People’s Place
The People’s Place is a first-of-its-kind £2.5m community mental health and wellbeing hub aligned to a Premier League football club. It addresses significant unmet local health need (mental health in particular) among communities at risk of experiencing poor health outcomes, yet who do not typically engage with mainstream health and care services. Since 2021, we have worked with local communities to co-produce the design of the hub, which is located in North Liverpool, culminating in its opening in March 2023. We now co-deliver and co-evaluate its health programmes which are available to all residents, regardless of post code.
By empowering diverse local communities to take greater control over services which benefit their health and wellbeing, we have worked jointly with an interdisciplinary team including Everton in the Community staff, General Practitioners, public health specialists and commissioners, NHS Trusts, commissioners, third sector organisations, schools, multi-national companies, and charities. This has enabled new community residents to access:
- mental health support
- suicide prevention and bereavement support
- physical health screening
- a food pantry providing discounted access to food
- sport and physical activity sessions
- educational workshops
“Our partnership with Edge Hill University has transformed the work we do to improve the health and wellbeing of our local communities. It has enabled us to better evidence the impact of our work in this area and secure much-needed income to continue with our life-saving work. The staff are incredibly supportive, and we look forward to what the next decade brings the partnership.”
Michael Salla, Deputy CEO, Everton in the Community