Arsenal promotes Inclusion and inspires Next Generations with Gunner Girls series
Arsenal Women launches a brand-new documentary-style series, Gunner Girls, which champions inclusion and inspires the next generation.
The new docuseries is exclusively available to watch on The Arsenal, the new digital home for fans globally. This platform allows supporters to access exclusive experiences and opportunities, whilst expressing their love and support for the club and its community initiatives.
Following the creation of a new Under-9s girls’ community team, the series spotlights their first journey in football, alongside the support of several Arsenal Women stars: Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo.
What it’s all about
The Arsenal stars visited some local girls from North London, taking the time to get to know them and inspire their love for football. Then, at the Arsenal Community Hub, they choose nine novice footballers to take part in the new Under-9s girls’ team. Despite some being extremely new to the sport, this initiative promotes engagement with the next generation of players and inspires them from a young age.
Within the series, the stages of this process are revealed: from having the opportunity to get to know their Arsenal idols, to forming a team and spending their first moments on the training pitch.
The role football can play in shaping young lives is at the forefront of the documentary. The Gunner Girls’ journey is a representation of how having positive female role models and better opportunities in sports often lead to improved self-confidence and belief and inspires the dreams and ambitions of young girls.
Mentorship and guidance
The four Arsenal players also take on a mentorship-style role throughout the documentary, focussing on growing the Gunner Girls’ ambition, skills and self-belief. Working alongside Billie Graham, Women and Girls Coordinator in Arsenal’s Community team, they are able to share their own experiences in the game, whilst acting as mentors and leaders to the young girls.
In the first episode of the documentary, Graham reflected upon her pride for influencing the Gunner Girls series and for creating programmes that give better opportunities to the next generations of North Londoners:
“Football has the power to bring us together in a way that builds confidence, joy and belonging - something we’ve seen first-hand through our Gunner Girls, who have made us so proud. When girls feel at home in the game, they’re far more likely to keep playing. This belief is at the heart of all our programmes - which are rooted in creating safe, inclusive spaces, providing access to role models, and giving women and girls of all ages, abilities and backgrounds the opportunity to connect through football."
Arsenal’s number nine, Russo added that youth football shaped her career and created the love for the game she has today:
“When I look back at my early days of football, every memory is happy. I was playing the game for pure love, pure enjoyment, no matter where, when or how we’d play, the love was ignited there and I want to hold on to that throughout my entire career.”
The Gunners’ legacy is not solely based on football but also the strong community spirit around the club. England Captain and Arsenal defender, Williamson spoke about the value of friendships made through football, which she encourages through her participation in the Gunner Girls initiative:
“The people you meet and the friendships you make are the best thing that comes out of football. Being a young girl, finding like-minded people that had the same interests as you was priceless.”
Arsenal in the Community
Since 1985, Arsenal in the Community has been central to the club’s ethos and development. Having seen success of all kinds since forming, Arsenal Women are committed to better-spotlighting and supporting the community programme established in the 1980s.
Arsenal is one of the first clubs nationally to offer girls-only football sessions through work-skills programmes. Through these sessions they highlight the need for inclusion and diversity in football, which plays a huge role in the club’s identity and success on a global scale.
Each week, more than 5,000 individuals engage with Arsenal both through physical activity, and/or educational and social programmes, including offers for women and girls across all age brackets. Football is used as a platform to establish opportunities, present positive role models, and create a community connection.
The first episode of Gunner Girls is now exclusively available to stream on The Arsenal (from Monday 23rd March) – this can be downloaded via the Apple Store or Google Play Store.