23 Apr ARSENAL CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF ‘DOUBLE CLUB’ COMMUNITY PROGRAMME
In 2024, Arsenal is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Double Club, our community initiative that stands as one of the longest-running programmes of its kind in the country.
Inspired by the ‘double’ winning season of 1998, the Arsenal Double Club is an innovative education programme which combines football and learning, and is instrumental in supporting primary school children in Hackney, Islington, and Camden.
The programme mirrors the two halves of a game of football, with 45-minutes of classroom education, followed by 45 minutes of football coaching to engage students in physical activity and promote teamwork.
Launched originally as a literacy intervention programme, the club today covers a wide range of academic subjects including science, languages, history, business studies and geography, as well teaching mindfulness and wellbeing. Aligned with the core principles of our Academy’s “Strong Young Gunners” philosophy, Double Club focusses on instilling students with essential life skills.
The scheme is now running in more than 30 after-school clubs across London and Hertfordshire, with additional weekend and holiday clubs. The programme is used in Arsenal in the Community’s estate work, in pupil referral units, special schools and prisons. Double Club materials have also been used in Arsenal in the Community projects overseas.
Henry Milton, Arsenal in the Community’s Primary Education Curriculum Lead, said, “The success of the Double Club is built upon the creation of Arsenal-themed national curriculum resources. These resources include activities centred around players from both our men’s and women’s teams. It’s truly amazing to witness the impact these resources have in classroom settings.
“We’re fortunate to have players who are eager to participate. Over the years, we’ve welcomed visits from renowned players like Dennis Bergkamp, Alex Scott, Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, and Jack Wilshere, among others.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work is hearing from individuals that took part in the Double Club years ago. They remember it fondly and talk about their experiences on the programme. We estimate that over 10,000 young people have taken part in the programme to date.”
