Collaboration Project between Toyota and Sporting Futures Unveiled

Local charity Sporting Futures has been selected by the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust to receive an annual grant of £10,000 which will allow six employability projects to be run over next three years in Derbyshire. The ‘Toyota Road to Success’ project was officially launched at the Toyota plant in Burnaston today. It marks the start of the first rotation of the programme, beginning in Derby.

Sporting Futures works with young people across Derbyshire’s most hard-to-reach areas. The ‘Toyota Road to Success’ programme will aim to target young people aged between 16 and 25 who are not in education, employment or training.

The project will begin recruiting participants from Derby’s job centre this week. Representatives from Toyota are helping at all stages of the project, with parts of the programme involving a Dragons Den type task at the plant, where Toyota staff members will act as potential investors. In addition a plant tour is booked in as part of the project’s finale.

Hannah Kearns, Sporting Futures’ Programme Development Officer for South Derbyshire, says “Our employability projects are at the centre of what we stand for as a charity, to increase the aspirations of young people in Derbyshire’s hardest to reach areas. Working with Toyota shows how large corporations can help the local community and we’re excited to get the Road to Success programme underway.

“Previous employability projects have been run with the help of other organisations, such as Amber Valley Borough Council, so we know just how rewarding the completion of the scheme is for the young people who take part.”

Today’s launch provided the opportunity for both charity’s trustees and Sporting Futures’ staff to meet each other ahead of the upcoming project. Chris Hardie, Trustee for the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust said, “At the Trust we are passionate about the development of young people, supporting them in becoming active, socially engaged and developing valuable life skills. We feel the Toyota Road to Success programme perfectly reflects the charitable trusts aim of helping create opportunities that are not ordinarily available.”

After the recruitment stage the project will run for 8 weeks in total, ending with a celebration evening at the Toyota plant on 9th December. Participants will progress through, ice-breaker style tasks to extended skills workshops, helping them with interview skills to prepare them for work experience.

As well as supporting Sporting Futures through the partnership, Toyota are entering a business team into their Derby City Half Marathon which takes place this Sunday. They received their race number and T-shirts as part of today’s launch. The relationship between Sporting Futures and Toyota continues to grow as Inchcape Toyota support Sporting Futures events through the provision of a lead car.

Ends

Notes to Editors

Sporting Futures

Sporting Futures is a unique charitable organisation that has been successfully working in Derbyshire and Derby City for 21 years. We have worked with thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the odds stacked against them.

We aim to utilise the power of sport to engage hard to reach young people and divert them away from crime and poor lifestyle choices. Our 21 years of experience makes us a unique resource within Derbyshire for a wide variety of organisations to draw upon.

We work with around 3,000 young people each year in Derbyshire through a number of projects such as providing access to sport participation on their doorstep, access to educational opportunities and providing them with life and employability skills to give them a helping hand to improve their own lives.

Sporting Futures is supported by the Derbyshire Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire, who remain a passionate driving force behind the charity, providing excellent support and advocacy. Alongside the Constabulary, other key partners are Derbyshire Sport, Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Borough Councils, Street Games, Sports Leaders UK and FE/HE institutions in Derbyshire.

Toyota Manufacturing UK

Toyota Manufacturing UK produces Avensis, Auris, Auris Touring Sport and Auris Hybrid models at its vehicle manufacturing plant at Burnaston, Derbyshire, and petrol and hybrid engines at its engine manufacturing plant at Deeside, North Wales. In 2015, TMUK produced 190,161 vehicles, 239,728 engines. To date, Toyota has invested over £2.2 billion into its UK manufacturing operations and currently employs approximately 3,500 members.

For more information please contact: Jean Sayers or Helen Hydes at Toyota Manufacturing UK on 01332 283609.