OUR STORY
Creating opportunities since 2012
The Rio Ferdinand Foundation was established by Rio Ferdinand in 2012, inspired by his own experiences growing up in Peckham, South London.
Rio knew first-hand that talent and potential alone don't determine where a young person gets to in life. The people around him, the opportunities he was given and the networks he was able to access all played a part in his own journey.
He created the Foundation to help more young people access those same ingredients: trusted relationships, meaningful opportunities and people who believe in what they can achieve.
Led by Experience
“Growing up as a young Black man from a working-class family in South London, I had to work hard to carve out opportunities for myself and overcome barriers to success. But I didn't do it alone. I had a strong support network around me. It's that support network we want to create for young people.”
- Rio Ferdinand, Founder
From grassroots to global knowledge sharing
The Foundation has evolved over time, but what sits at the heart of our work has remained the same.
What began as a youth charity using sport to connect with young people has evolved into a wider model rooted in youth culture, trusted relationships and access to opportunity.
Today, we work across sport, music, fashion, media, digital and the creative industries, creating opportunities that build confidence and skills and open pathways into education, training and employment.
We work across the UK and Ireland and increasingly share our learning internationally, bringing together young people, communities, employers and partners to create opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to access.
Since 2012, more than 15,000 young people have been supported through the Foundation.
Today, our work is still driven by the same belief: every young person should have the opportunity to build a future around their strengths and passions.
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