We Are United project brings community together through football
Sheffield United Community Foundation is creating impact through the EFL We Are United project, a South Yorkshire-wide initiative using the power of football to tackle isolation, strengthen community connections and improve health and wellbeing.
Led by Rotherham United Community Trust, the project brings together the community organisations of five professional football clubs: Sheffield United, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster and Barnsley. Together, the organisations are delivering a coordinated programme across ten priority neighbourhoods throughout South Yorkshire.
At Sheffield United Community Foundation, the project is creating welcoming opportunities for people to come together, get active and build meaningful connections.
One example is the weekly Sunday football sessions, which are supported by Peer Wellbeing & Integration Champions – local people with lived experience who have been recruited and trained to help deliver activities within their communities.
The sessions combine physical activity with opportunities to socialise, build confidence and support mental wellbeing, with football providing a familiar and accessible starting point.
David, Ishmael and Fabio are among those involved in the sessions, each helping to establish the Sunday sessions as one of the project’s Community Champions.
Speaking about why the sessions were created, David said: “We do these sessions for mental health reasons, to come out and play football with new people. It’s a good standard of session as well.”
The sessions also provide an important opportunity for people who may be new to Sheffield or their local area to meet others and develop new friendships.
A key part of We Are United is the development of local Peer Wellbeing & Integration Champions. Champions receive accredited training in areas including coaching, health and wellbeing, and community leadership, giving them the skills and confidence to support others in their communities.
For Ishmael, becoming a Community Champion has provided an opportunity to make a positive difference to others while drawing on his own experiences. “I enjoy helping people gain confidence, whether it’s the first time coming or whether it’s learning a new skill.” he said. “Overall, I enjoy it because I make a difference and I like to make a difference in everybody’s life.”
His own experience of arriving in a new area has also helped him understand the importance of creating spaces where people can feel comfortable and connected.
While football is at the heart of the sessions, the project is about much more than playing sport. The Sunday sessions offer participants a chance to get active, spend time outdoors, meet new people and take time away from the pressures of everyday life.
For participants, the sessions provide a positive way to finish the week and prepare for the week ahead. “Due to the sessions being so fun, it’s a nice end to the week,” Fabio added. “I’ve got work at 9am, so why not just have fun on a Sunday afternoon, joke around with friends?”
The We Are United programme extends beyond weekly sessions. Throughout the project, South Yorkshire United Wellbeing Days rotate between football club venues across the region, bringing participants from different communities together.
These events provide opportunities for participants to build confidence, experience different parts of South Yorkshire and strengthen connections between communities, while reinforcing football clubs as welcoming spaces for everyone.
The project is funded through the EFL in the Community Catalyst Fund, with additional support from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and aligns with the region’s Health is Wealth strategy. The programme is also independently evaluated by the University of Sheffield, helping to build evidence around the impact of community-led approaches to tackling isolation and improving wellbeing.
By combining football, peer leadership and community delivery, We Are United aims to create lasting change across South Yorkshire – developing local leaders, strengthening social networks and creating more inclusive and resilient communities.
Sheffield United Community Foundation is proud to be part of this collaborative project and to use the power of football to help people feel connected, confident and part of their community.