Premier League Inspires Challenge and Shai's Story
The Premier League Inspires Challenge is back for 2026, with mental health returning as the focus of the social action projects young people will be pitching.
Each year, young people representing Saints Foundation’s partner secondary schools come to St Mary’s Stadium to present an idea designed to make a difference within a chosen theme. The winning school earns the opportunity to represent Saints on the national stage alongside other football club charities from across the country.
2024: Compass School secured that opportunity with their idea for a lunchtime club supporting pupils’ mental health, alongside a poster campaign featuring wellbeing tips from pupils, teachers and Saints players.
2025: Woodlands Community College impressed judges with their gender equality bracelets, which they created and sold to raise money for Yellow Door, a leading charity supporting victims of domestic abuse in Southampton.
2026: Winners will be announced on our social media in the next two weeks.
Premium Patron Connect It Utility supported our young people with their pitches this year, allowing them to have a practice run before going in to the judges, and giving them some tips and tricks.
Premier League Inspires develops the personal skills and aspirations of pupils in alternative education settings, including the city’s Pupil Referral Units and Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools.
While the Inspires Challenge runs annually, the Premier League Inspires team works year-round in Southampton schools to raise aspirations and build independence among young people who need support the most — young people like Shai.
A pupil at Cedar School, which supports three- to 16-year-olds with complex physical, health and learning needs, Shai has been undertaking work experience through Premier League Inspires.
As part of this, she has joined a group visiting Southampton Central station through the Foundation’s partnership with South Western Railway, helping to maintain and enhance the station environment.
Her tasks have included litter picking, cleaning benches, decorating the station ahead of Christmas and tidying waiting rooms. Through this experience, she has developed important life skills — including travelling independently by bus to the station.
Ang Jones, Premier League Inspires Coordinator, said: “Shai is a great example of a young person who has gained so much from real-world work experience. Every time I see her, she is more confident in her own abilities and increasingly independent.
“Our partnership with South Western Railway through the Community Rail Network has enabled young people like Shai to gain valuable experience they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to access.”
Nicky, Special School Assistant at Cedar School, attended the train station each week with Shai and the rest of her class. She said: “Shai’s communication skills grew week by week, she would engage in conversations with members of the public, we have even noticed how much better her confidence grew still to this day in her school life.
“I love how much she has understood, what number bus we had to catch, where we needed to get off and when to press the stop button.”
Head Teacher of Cedar School has also seen her progress, Cesia Moran said: “Shai thoroughly enjoys her sessions at the train station. She likes to tell everyone where she has been and we can see the sense of pride in the way she stands just a little bit taller when she tells us.”
