Arsenal and online money transfer service, WorldRemit have launched the second edition of the Future Stars coaching programme for African coaches. The initiative was launched in August 2018.
The initiative offers one male and one female football coach from Africa or the Americas the chance to attend an exclusive training programme with Arsenal Football Development coaches in London. The programme, now in its second edition, celebrates the positive impact that grassroots youth football coaches have on their communities, helping children they train to develop life skills both on and off the pitch.
Last year’s Future Stars winner was Kenya’s Hamisi Mohamed from Young Talents Soccer Academy. Hamisi founded Young Talents, a mixed academy outside Nairobi, to bring young members of his community together and help them avoid falling into tribalism, drug abuse and crime.
Future Stars is open to youth team (under 16s) coaches from across Africa and the Americas. WorldRemit will sponsor two winners, one male and one female, to fly to London for a personalised coaching programme with Arsenal Football Development coaches. Through the programme, 20 shortlisted coaches will be rewarded with Arsenal shirts for their youth squad.
Entries are now open on FutureStars.WorldRemit.com or via a chatbot on the WorldRemit Facebook page facebook.com/WorldRemit by 4th September. To enter, coaches simply need to complete a short application form explaining why they deserve to be granted the training opportunity and how they would use it to build a lasting legacy of positive change through football.
How it works
1. From the online applications, 20 coaches will be shortlisted to receive Arsenal youth shirts for their team. Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria by a panel of judges including Catherine Wines, Co-Founder at WorldRemit; Simon McManus, Head Coach at Arsenal Football Development; and Marc Thorogood, Business Manager at Arsenal Football Development.
Selection criteria
- The commitment of the coach to improving the lives of their community
- The impact the coach has had on young people within their community
- The strength of the coach’s proposal to pass on their training on their return home
2. From the shortlist of 20, the judging panel will select eight coaches as finalists – four male and four female.
3. The eight finalists’ stories will be shared on FutureStars.WorldRemit.com and the winners will be chosen based on a public vote on the website.