Footsteps - Mission Statement

	Footsteps was developed for the benefit of the local and broader community, schools, colleges and sporting organisations. Target groups (focusing particularly on ethnic and minority populations) will include clients aged16 and under, post 16 NEETs, people endeavouring to get off incapacity benefits, disabled persons, primary and secondary schools, colleges, Youth Offending Services, PRUs and local youth clubs. Footsteps accepts students that are gifted footballers, students that have been excluded or are in a process that may lead to exclusion, as well as clients for which an alternative path to education may be found to be beneficial. Clients with a poor track record in attendance, or coping with emotional or behavioural difficulties, including diagnosed or suspected special needs, may also be included. We will work with partner organisations to ensure engagement, mentoring, and academic/further education and employment guidance is received by academy users. Every effort will be made to ensure provision is available to, and taken up, by all ethnic, gender and age groups. Adult clients who have graduated in Footsteps can access the Footwork program which actively works with them to find employment. Footsteps works with EROS, a research organisation that aims to advance the understanding of emotion regulation. We are using their findings to underpin our delivery, and to help us to understand client issues and develop and enhance strategies for dealing with EBD young people. The Footwork program will work vigorously on behalf of Footsteps graduates, as well as adult clients, to secure work experience and employment.

	The Footsteps Partnership and Best Practice Footsteps has a commitment to ensure that our programme aims are achieved and best practice is followed at all times. Footsteps upholds rigorous Child Protection and Health and Safety policies, runs fully enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks on all staff, and adheres to strict procedures regarding absenteeism, bullying, medical considerations for clients, discipline and holds the clients rights and welfare as paramount. However we believe there is no limit to improvement in co-operation with our partners.

Footsteps will provide quality education, tuition, football coaching, lifestyle, and career guidance and counselling, to young people who seek personal development, sporting achievement, physical health, and psychological well being.

We will assist any individual, whatever their background, to be the absolute best they can be. We will not falter in our determination to aid all those who seek excellence in any, and every, aspect of their lives. This ethos will pervade all aspects of Footstep`s activities.

The holistic approach taken by Footsteps helps us to identify, confront and remove all negative aspects of a young person's environment which may adversely affect and hinder their development.