It’s Good Relations Week and this year’s theme is ‘Connect’, highlighting how communities across Northern Ireland can come together to build understanding, respect, and unity.
We are proud to shine a spotlight on Inspired Talents FC, a football club whose mission perfectly embodies the power of connection through sport. Their work is a reflection on how football can bring people together across cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, building a more inclusive community across Northern Ireland.
How Inspired Talents FC Began
Inspired Talents FC started as a small community initiative that recognised both the challenges and opportunities faced by minority groups in Northern Ireland.
Now playing at intermediate level within the Northern Ireland football system, their ambitions reach far beyond the pitch.
Through sport, the club aims to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create opportunities for individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds to feel valued, included, and empowered.
By using football as a universal language, Inspired Talents FC have become a beacon for how sport can build bridges, not just between players, but across entire communities.
The club Chairman Louis Aikoriogie highlighted how the club are engaging with people from various ethnic minority backgrounds and bringing them together at Inspired Talents FC. The club’s vision and ethos transcend football, aiming to give these individuals a platform to succeed on and off the pitch.
“The vision of the club is to develop young people in terms of using football as a tool to bring young people away from the street and give them the structure that they need to play football. If people are idle, they’re most likely going to have tendencies towards crime.
“The people here do not have that community feel what they are on their own. So, coming together as a football club, it gives a community orientation to bring them together. It makes them more highly spirited to playing football.
“Diversity is our key word in this football club, and we are actually striving to promote inclusiveness and also good relations amongst these people”
Connecting Through Football
Through weekly training sessions, community outreach and engagement, the club brings together people of all ages and backgrounds. These sessions go beyond skill development, they’re about friendship, respect, teamwork, and learning from one another’s experiences.
For many participants, the club represents much more than a team; it’s a safe space, a support network, and a place to belong. By creating shared experiences on the pitch, Inspired Talents FC are strengthening community bonds off it too.
Emmanuel Ozuaka had played for a few different clubs in Northern Ireland before joining Inspired Talents FC. He spoke of the effect that Inspired Talents FC has had on him as a player, and as a person,
“They don’t just tell you to come play, they provide emotional support when you’re injured. They come and see how you’re doing and can book physio sessions for you. This isn’t necessarily something you get in other clubs. They also try to reduce the financial burden on footballers.
“It’s not just you; you’re playing for the coach and for the Inspired Talents badge when you know you have more to give. There are ups and downs, and they’re there for you.
Emmanuel recognises that while the team are struggling to add points to the board, the group of players are enjoying the challenge.
“Every week comes with its success, and we hold onto the positives. When we go for matches, we can make friends in other parts of Northern Ireland. So that has expanded our friendships [between] locals and minorities.”
Creating Opportunities: Sport NI funding available
If you’re feeling inspired to develop a new programme within your club to encourage people from under-represented groups to participate in sport, check out our Crowdfunding programme Creating Opportunities.
Creating Opportunities is all about levelling the playing field and providing opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to participate in sport. Clubs can receive £5000 in match funding thanks to the National Lottery.
Find out more here: https://www.sportni.net/funding/creating-opportunities/