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Sports placement shaping one young man’s future

Liam Keightley is setting his sights on a future of work thanks to the skills he is gaining during his placement with Tailored Leisure, who have been supported by Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme partners the Foundation of Light. 

A picture of Liam Keightley.

On 24 March we hosted a webinar to share the findings of a report that looks into the workforce gap between disabled and non-disabled people. Here, we take a look a sports placement, made possible through GOGA, that has helped to shape one man's future.

At 20 years old, having completed a Level 3 course in Coaching, Liam joined Tailored Leisure in October 2024 to build up his employability skills. He had never volunteered or worked in a placement before.

Among the areas that Liam is working in are health and safety, administration, and social media. Alongside practical skills, Liam, who had low confidence when he began his placement, has blossomed into a more confident, as well as capable, member of the team.

Bringing together his coaching abilities and the skills he is learning on his placement, Liam is creating a Spring Football Camp for other young people to take part in and is learning how to implement this project from start to finish.

Liam describes planning the football camp: 

"I have applied for funding for the camp, which we have been awarded by Sported. I will then set a date, plan the session, and be supported by Tailored Leisure staff and another volunteer, Nick, who supports me. I can be very shy, so this helps me build my confidence in front of people."

Tara Mackings, Founder and Director of Tailored Leisure said:

"Liam has already supported us in setting up GOGA activities for other young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and supported our Christmas bowling bonanza."

Liam has autism and had been supported with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The placement gives Liam an opportunity to develop his workplace skills. As has been experienced by others with SEND, employers had refused to employ him because he is disabled. Throughout the course of the GOGA programme, a key understanding is that lived experience matters. Liam is specially placed to understand some of the challenges faced by participants, which is incredibly valuable in helping to overcome barriers.

Tara continues:

"The placement has given him the ability to build his life skills, confidence, and travel training to get to and from our venue independently, something he has not done before. We have watched Liam build in confidence each week and upskill in different areas of Tailored Leisure."

About GOGA and volunteer placements, Tara added:

"Having had informal volunteers on previous GOGA activities, we have built a clear volunteer passport and structured programme. We have rolled this out to Epinay Enterprise school in South Tyneside, where we now have a bespoke session for 15 pupils and volunteers."

As a result of his placement, Liam has realised he likes administration work as well as planning the Spring Football Camp. He would like to work in administration and is benefitting from a second placement in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, too. Liam has his sights set on a paid job after his experience with Tailored Leisure is completed in June.

Liam said: 

"Tailored Leisure gave me a chance to volunteer, feel part of team, and learn new things. A few months ago, I was unsure if I could do things, but I know I can now and hope to get a job in something I enjoy soon."

More information about the Spring Football Camp can be found on the Tailored Leisure website. 

Visit the Foundation of Light website for more information about local GOGA activities.