Cardiff City FC Community Foundation & Compass Cymru Launch Youth Outreach Pathway

Cardiff City FC Community Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with Compass Cymru aimed at enriching the lives of young people through a series of engaging and educational experiences.

The collaboration kicked off with a Premier League Kicks Experience over Easter at Cardiff City Stadium, where a selected group of male and female participants from our Kicks programme engaged in a hands-on culinary session.

Led by Andrew Draper, Regional Executive Chef of Wales, this session focussed on budgeting and cooking simple, sustainable meals that the young people can recreate at home. Participants also worked with Andrew in the kitchen for a live cook-along session, followed by a shared meal to enjoy their creations.

This was followed by a friendly fixture against the Swansea City FC Community Foundation Kicks team and the exciting opportunity to watch the Cardiff City Women’s first team in action.

Compass Cymru is generously contributing their time and expertise, with the Community Foundation only needing to cover the cost of ingredients. This marks the beginning of a series of insightful experiences designed to develop our youth outreach work and provide pathways into education, training, and employment.

With the support of the Premier League Charitable Fund, we plan to organise educational trips focused on social action and sustainability, along with training sessions to equip young people with essential skills for the hospitality industry and beyond.

The Community Foundation and Compass Cymru are committed to creating impactful experiences that support our young people’s growth and development. We look forward to a successful partnership and the positive results it will bring to Cardiff City FC Communities.

Jamie Thomas, Community Outreach Coordinator at Cardiff City FC Community Foundation:

"At Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, we are thrilled to embark on this new journey with Compass Cymru. We're not only teaching practical skills but also helping to develop a sense of community and shared purpose. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this collaboration will have on our Kicks participants' futures, to change lives and transform communities."

Andrew Draper, Regional Executive Chef of Wales at Compass Cymru:

"As I started my journey in catering with Compass at a young age (16 years old) I have always been a keen supporter of any initiative designed to encourage young people to become more engaged with food.

I hope to give the participants confidence to try different types of food, to help them develop their palate, to think about where the produce comes from and its journey from farm to fork and to consider the planet when making their food choices.

I believe this partnership can only have a hugely positive impact, to build their confidence, make them feel more independent and mature. In a cost of living crisis, they will have the skills to budget/meal plan accordingly. I also think cooking with fresh produce will lead to them consuming fewer ultra processed foods and develop a healthier diet."

Premier League Kicks is a youth outreach programme that aims to create safer communities and reduce offending by giving young people in South Wales access to free football sessions and opportunities for personal development. Find a site near you here!

Compass Cymru is a localised offering of Compass Group UK & Ireland. They believe that a nation without food is a nation without life, and that’s why they're dedicated to supporting their clients and communities across Wales.

We want to help people develop game changing life skills that will set them up for success and create opportunities for everyone to belong.

Together, we're changing the game.