RTG initiatives

Non-RTG literacy activity

LOFC's Community Sports Community Programme is well renowned for its innovative and highly successful work, and the club was one of the first to establish a RIF Project. In 1998, funding was secured from the Sir John Cass Foundation to provide three free books each for forty 10 to 15 year-olds. This support continued for a further two years when additional funding came from Barclays and German bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, with a focus on Primary Years 5 & 6. A six-week course runs in curriculum time, with one lesson held per week when children come into the club. The project, continued working with ninety 10 to 12 year-olds and has been supported by Amazon. A 'library' of magazines is made available in the community room for people to pick up if they wish.

The Community Programme also runs after-school clubs in Poplar and Leytonstone in secondary schools. The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) funds one secondary and five primary (feeder) schools to run girl's sports. Literacy/numeracy football clubs are also taken, with half an hour of literacy followed by football coaching. LOFC has the 'innovations' model of Playing for Success, with one hour in school of literacy and numeracy activities with sport afterwards over a period of five weeks. The next five weeks are held in the players' lounge at Brisbane Road, with the focus purely on ICT. About 15 children attend from nine schools - pupils of mid-range ability are chosen, with the aim of raising self-esteem. Excluded children of 16 and over attend talks on the football industry to show the range of careers open to young people in professional football. This is part of the Open College Network. Over two/three nights per week LOFC also does work on estates in the Barking area to help raise awareness about drug issues, and to promote healthy living.