Guiseley Community Foundation have been running football coaching sessions within Wetherby YOI since last February and aims to use the Power of Sport to provide exercise, teamwork, discipline and leadership. All these leading to the goal of rehabilitation by reducing reoffending and contributing to improved attitudes and behaviour within the institution.

Guiseley Community Foundation have been working in conjunction with Novus – Foundations for Change, Wetherby YOI Education and PE Staff and West Yorksire Police on this project. It is supported by the National League Trust who are, in turn, funded by the Premier League and the Professional Footballers Association. Novus have been delivering education, training and employment opportunities to adults and young people in UK prisons for over two decades.

The sessions are run by legendary ex Guiseley AFC central defender and now Academy and Community coach Danny Ellis who attends HMYOI Wetherby every Monday morning when he works with a group of up to 16 young men and take them through rigorous football training. With the sessions well into the second set of 12, Guiseley Community Foundation are now looking to introduce Sports Leader Qualifications or FA Level 1 coaching badges in the hope that these nationally recognised qualifications will allow the young men to rebuild their lives on their release back into the community.

Take a look at the video taken by Dave Redmond of CVS Digital now and see what Danny Ellis, Pete Homer (West Yorkshire Police) and Vicki Morris (Deputy Head of Education, HMYOI Wetherby) have to say about the programme to date: