Education through football: Encouraging Engagement with the Curriculum: An Arsenal Education.

In January 2008 the British government, under the auspices of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, recognised a number of employers as examination boards for the awarding of nationally accredited qualifications to employees. With this the government is looking to diversify the range of examination authorities and recognise the skills developed by the workplace (QCA, 2008). Arsenal Football Club, and specifically Arsenal in the Community, has a long history of delivering educational programmes. The paper will provide an overview of this educational work and present a discussion of how the Club can provide a number of benefits that can deliver recognised qualifications not only for the students but the volunteer support staff. The rationale for the study is to demonstrate the potential of sport management education to support training and development in professional sport organisations. Network level approaches have been found to offer advantages to firms who share common goals working for mutual benefit (Ahuja, 2000; Glover and Burton, 1998). By developing a network-level-approach between the Club, local schools, and the local university these benefits can be achieved. This case centres on an analysis of a current initiative that provides sport-management themed A-level business cases in order to assess the potential for football clubs (and their partner organisations) to provide alternative approaches to the delivery of programmes that engage and encourage learners. The research is currently being conducted through a phenomenological approach utilising qualitative semi-structured interviews with managers and key staff in the network of organisations involved in the initiative. An assessment of stakeholder perspectives will share experiences Preliminary results indicate that the partners have been very happy with the development of the A-level cases particularly noting the role of the university in development. Presently these cases are with the local schools, once this stage is complete the final data collection phase will begin. The data collection phase will be completed by March 2008. Conclusions will be finalised after the data collection but the themes from the preliminary results indicate that the initial work provided from the network approach has been well received by the Club and its stakeholders.The provision of social and community benefits to a range of stakeholders is a goal of many professional football clubs across Europe. The ability of these clubs to be able to offer recognised qualifications for these stakeholders is another way of enhancing their positive role in society.