Raise Your Game

Raise Your Game is Kick It Out’s unique programme which helps provide opportunities for people who aspire to work within the football industry, and is currently supported by the Premier League.

Since its inception in 2012, the programme has helped numerous individuals find career pathways in roles across the game including Coaching, Media and Communications, Player Engagement, Physiotherapy, Refereeing and Sports Science.

To find out more about Raise Your Game, contact Troy Townsend, Education Manager at Kick It Out, via email troy@kickitout.org.

2018

 

Find out more about our Raise Your Game series, supported by the Premier League, for 2018 by clicking here. 

History

Raise Your Game evolved from the ‘Leading The Way’ mentoring and leadership series which Kick It Out ran to help people aspiring to work in football to achieve qualifications as well as seek pathways into the sport.

Starting as a series of roadshows in Autumn 2012, visiting Leeds, Gravesend, Wolverhampton, Manchester, and Cobham, Raise Your Game was initially run in conjunction with the Black and Asian Coaches Association (BACA), with the likes of Danny Mills, Sean Dyche, Terry Connor, Matt Murray, Brendon Batson and Phil Brown all attending the events.

To bring the first series to a close, Kick It Out hosted the ‘Raise Your Game’ national conference in April 2013 as 200 participants were given the chance to meet and seek wisdom from leading names in the world of football including Fabrice Muamba, Clarke Carlisle, Rachel Yankey, Bradley Johnson, Marvin Sordell and Yannick Bolasie.

The national conference has continued every year since, taking place in such illustrious surroundings as TUC Centre in London, Wembley Stadium and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

For the 2016/17 season, the Premier League will be supporting the Raise Your Game series as it hosts several events across the country.

Alongside the national conference, in 2016/17, the Raise Your Game series will offer unique events such as the Women’s Raise Your Game conference and specific events for media and coaching.

  • Find out more about #RYG below

  • Events

    RYG---Events

    Since 2012, Kick It Out has hosted a number of regional and national Raise Your Game events, which have provided opportunities for many individuals aspiring to succeed within the football industry.

    Read the review from each event by clicking the years below.

    2016/17

    2015/16 

    2014/15

    2013/14 

    2012/13

    Upcoming events for the Raise Your Game series will appear on the front page of the Kick It Out website and will feature in the mentoring newsletter.

  • Success Stories

    RYG---Success-Stories

    Raise Your Game has helped a number of mentees go on to achieve a career within the football industry. 

    Some of these successes have been able to join such prestigious organisations as The Football Association, Daily Mail, Sports Interactive and clubs including Arsenal and Brentford.

    Read some of the success stories that Raise Your Game has helped produce here.

  • Jobs In Football

    RYG-Jobs-In-Football

    As part of the Raise Your Game series, the Kick It Out website is updated with the latest job opportunities within the football industry. 

    To view the latest jobs, simply click here.

  • Mentoring Newsletter

    You can stay up-to-date with the latest news from Raise Your Game, including information about upcoming events and the most exciting job opportunities in football.

    The newsletter also provides exclusive content only available to registered mentees including advice and success stories of how to make Raise Your Game work for you.

    To sign up to the newsletter click here.

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"We have a responsibility as players to give something back and I’m really thankful to be part of this organisation because we can do a lot of good."
Jack Butland, 'Next 20' Ambassador
“A big part of my involvement with Kick It Out stems from my strong admiration for the organisation’s commitment to fairness and equality.”
Clive Tyldesley, football commentator
“It was Kick It Out that convinced the people in football that change was possible.”
Greg Dyke, former FA chairman
“I wanted to thank the campaigners at Kick It Out for their work. I know first-hand how Kick It Out can help.”
Yaya Toure, Manchester City midfielder
“It is important for me in my role as a Kick It Out ‘Next 20’ ambassador to teach young people how to handle discrimination and treat people with respect.”
Romelu Lukaku, 'Next 20' Ambassador
“It is a massive honour for me to be an ambassador for such a great organisation. I think they do great work on and off the field.”
Toni Duggan, 'Next 20' Ambassador
"It really helped me to see that other professional sports people were acknowledging their sexuality. I read about John Amaechi, Gareth Thomas and Tom Daley. They weren't footballers but the fact that they went public gave me the feeling that I was not alone."
Thomas Hitzlsperger, former Aston Villa midfielder
"There was no conflict between religion and the fact that I wanted to play football. I was brought up correctly and in the right way and my parents are very proud of the fact that I am a professional footballer."
Sadio Mané, Liverpool winger
“I think it’s important to share success stories and realise that there are women operating in the game. If it’s something you want to do, you can do it.”
Ffion Eade, Hampshire FA referee
"I've had loads of negative comments from men, especially growing up. It's just boring and old. Times have changed, and they continue to change. Women play football, and they're good at it, and have been for a number of years.”
Kelly Smith, England Women's record goalscorer
"Despite the progress, stereotypes still exist in football and until that is broken down it will be extremely difficult for a woman to manage a top level men's team."
Rachel Yankey, former Arsenal Ladies forward
"There’s no hiding that there is sexism in sport. We have a lack of women right across all levels of management, playing and coaching. It shows the closed nature of sport in general and this includes the media. It’s an indictment of sport as a whole."
Rimla Akhtar, Kick It Out trustee and Chair of the Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation
“I’m proud to be a supporter of Kick It Out and particularly the work they are doing to combat antisemitism within football.”
Joe Jacobson, Wycombe Wanderers midfielder
"With Kick It Out leading the way football is standing up and fighting against those who preach hatred and intolerance and we at Chelsea are proud to support their work."
Bruce Buck, Chelsea Football Club Chairman