Everton in the Community has launched a new inclusive football initiative thanks to the Club’s technical partner, hummel.
Money raised from the auction of Everton Rainbow shirts, designed by hummel to mark Copenhagen '21 World Pride and Eurogames, was donated to Everton in the Community’s Youth Engagement programmes to support LGBTI+ education and awareness.
The new inclusive football sessions - delivered to participants from across the charity’s youth engagement programmes together with Everton Free School and Everton in the Community staff – offer a safe space for people aged 16+ who identify as LGBTI+ or as an ally of the community.
Alongside the opportunity to enjoy mixed ability, non-gender specific football sessions, the initiative also provides tailored support to participants, with Everton in the Community staff having undertaken LGBTI+ specific training.
Everton in the Community’s Primary Stars programme manager, Olivia Cardwell, said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to launch these new inclusive sessions with the funds raised from the rainbow shirts.
“There was a real lack of options in the local community for people to participate in football in an openly inclusive environment, and thanks to hummel we have been able to address that need.
“Together with the club and our partners, we strive to ensure sport is inclusive for all, and going forward we hope to further develop this initiative and welcome the wider community to these sessions.”
The special rainbow shirt was produced for both Everton and Southampton players to wear during the pre-match warm-up of the 2021/22 season opening game, and when auctioned, raised more than £12,000 for Everton in the Community.
Designed as a mash-up of all flags recognised by the LGBTI+ community, the shirts - also worn by Everton women during a pre-season friendly against Brighton - underpinned #YouAreIncluded, which was the overall theme of Copenhagen 2021.
The initiative to support the fight for diversity and inclusivity in professional football is part of hummel's wider backing for Copenhagen 2021 World Pride and the EuroGames celebration, which took place in August 2021. Everton and hummel representatives joined forces to present a discussion on LGBTI+ inclusion work as part of the Sport Leader Conference at the Eurogames and underlined the Club’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
Everton in the Community’s new inclusive football sessions form part of a wider programme of diversity activities and workshops aimed at educating primary and secondary pupils on the importance of LGBTI+ awareness and how sport brings people together.
Activities including Rainbow Laces football tournaments, poster making and interactive, multi-sports sessions with LGBTI+ sport stars will take place throughout the rest of the season, culminating at the annual Pride March in summer 2022.
