Each month, Manchester City’s charity, City in the Community (CITC), spotlights its work and programmes through the voices and stories of its participants.
This month CITC spoke with Ciara, who was a previous participant on the Premier League Inspires programme.
Before joining the programme, Ciara was very shy and struggled to cope with the demands of mainstream school.
Working with CITC coaches each week, the Inspires programme helped improve her confidence, self-esteem and resilience.
Reflecting on her time on the programme, Ciara said: “I’d describe it as one of the best things that’s ever happen to me.
“I think my school experience without City in the Community would have been a lot harder.
“I was very shy, and I didn’t like social things but having that support really helped me, and it was exactly what I needed to get me through.
“Now I’m happy to push myself outside my comfort zone, to try and become a better version of myself and be more confident.”
Her time on the programme has now inspired her to join CITC’s BTEC programme.
“Seeing what the coaches did for me made me want to be that person for someone else. Which is what inspired me to enrol on the CITC BTEC programme,” she added.
“After that, I want to do the CITC Degree programme, and then hopefully get a job with City in the Community.”
City Inspires is an educational programme, partnered with the Premier League, and delivered in schools across Greater Manchester.
The programme works with groups of secondary school learners who are at risk of not reaching their potential and support them as they move through the education system and early adulthood, giving them the confidence, resilience and skills to succeed.
With thanks to Blue Emergency Cover for their support of the We Are CITC series.
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To find out more, visit: https://blueemergencycover.co.uk/
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City in the Community empowers healthier lives with city youth through football.
To find more, visit www.mancity.com/citc or follow @citcmancity.