RSM donates to Everton in the Community's DofE programme
RSM has donated to the 'Everton in the Community’s' Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award programme, aimed at reaching some of the most disadvantaged youth in the UK. The programme runs in the L4 postcode, which is one of the four most deprived areas in the UK.
The failure to provide gainful employment, education or training for young people creates a host of long-term negative impacts in society. While government programmes are attempting to support transition into wider society, early support can be pivotal in preventing young people from finding themselves out of employment, education or training in the first place.
One of the organisations that has helped young people build confidence to work in an increasingly hard and uncaring society, is the The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). The Award has been around since 1956 and focuses on developing young people through skill and team-building programmes. The programme saw around 271,000 young people start in 2016/17, with around 420,000 actively participating in programmes.
In the latest chapter of RSM’s decade-long relationship with the DofE project, the firm recently announced that it has donated funds to the 'Everton in the Community’s' (EitC) DofE programme. The programme, run by Everton Football Club, operates in the L4 postcode, which is one of the UK’s most deprived – with considerable numbers of NEET. The effect is that many young people find themselves in a vicious cycle, such as gang membership and crime, making it more difficult to take on work or study. The EitC aims to use sport as a means of reaching and engaging the hard to reach youth, with support aimed at developing life skills and employability options, and the programme has so far involved 18 participants in the L4 area, since its inception in 2017.
Graham Bond, RSM’s office managing partner for Chester and Liverpool said, “Supporting the DofE is an integral part of RSM’s ethos and something we are extremely proud of. We are pleased to be working in collaboration with Everton in the Community that has a huge impact across Merseyside. As well as supporting its DofE programme, we will be sharing our skills and expertise to help people back into work and interview preparation.”
Phil Duffy, Executive Director, Everton in the Community said, “We are thrilled to have the support of RSM to further enable our DofE program and reach more young people in need of a brighter future. We look forward to developing the partnership with RSM and benefitting from their expertise to help our young people.”
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