Our Safety Goals programme is a unique partnership with the Premier League. From Sunderland to Southampton, we reach out to young people in football clubs academies and communities, using their connection with the game to help them speak up.
Safety Goals - how it works
Staff from football clubs and club charities across the country meet for two days of training, to work, learn and tackle training challenges together.
The trainers are given course materials to deliver programmes to young people, aged eight to 18. They return to their clubs, fully equipped with the knowledge, experience, skills and resources to deliver modules about:
- promoting healthy relationships
- celebrating difference
- how young people can feel supported to speak out if they feel unsafe
The 2025 course brought together a cohort of 14 safeguarding and player care professionals who work with young people in football settings.
Rob's story
Rob Josephs works as employability and education manager at Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation. He was part of the Safety Goals pilot, then delivered workshops on healthy relationships to secondary school pupils, as part of the Premier League Inspires Programme, which work with schools in disadvantaged areas, targeting pupils at risk of exclusion, anxiety and other factors, to encourage their aspirations and skills.
He said: “We're working with young people who are more vulnerable, experiencing lots of challenge, both at home and school. Conversations around healthy relationships are really needed for these groups.
“We were in there in our kit, and I think that really helps. The young people really opened up - the fact that we’re from the club means it’s less threatening than coming from school. We picked up a safeguarding concern in one session which wouldn’t have been picked up if we weren’t there."
Why Safety Goals matters
Staff return from the training to deliver a programme that supports and encourages young people to speak up for themselves and their peers about any concerns they have, even when they don’t see these as abuse. Using the power of football as the common ‘language’, players across age groups are empowered to understand their rights and ask for help when they need it.
By working together with the Premier League to train the trainers, we increase their confidence in putting young people’s voices first. It helps prioritise safeguarding in football and supports football academies and community projects, like Premier League Inspires, to create a safer culture where young people aren’t afraid to speak out.
What people said
“The resources and presentation skills experience is really positive for supporting staff development and improving the understanding of staff who are working with young people. The content and topics demystify safeguarding as something to be scared of, or something that is separate from people’s roles.”
Sam Bayford, Brentford FC Head of Safeguarding (Football) and Academy Player Support
Contact us to find out more about the bespoke safeguarding training programmes we offer.
