Rio Ferdinand set up the Foundation in 2012 to address social issues important to him from his own experiences growing up in Peckham, South London – supporting and empowering young people from working class communities, tackling racism and inequality, and providing opportunities and pathways to deliver social mobility and realise personal potential.
Using sports, arts, media, and education programmes to deliver our work, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation works to deliver programmes directly to young people across the UK and Ireland. Where appropriate we work with a strong network of local partners to ensure our work has maximum impact and local connectivity and sustainability.
Rio Ferdinand Foundation is a value driven organisation, and we pride ourselves on using these values as the cornerstone for our work. Working with young people and partners from projects across the UK we have developed these core values that underpin everything we do:
Young people are the heart of everything we do, inspiring us to evolve and adapt so, we can support them to realise their full potential.
Enabling young people to recognise their skills, giving them ownership to achieve their individual goals.
Bringing young people and communities together, valuing diversity and creating a shared sense of belonging.
Bouncing back with enthusiasm and fresh solutions, continually learning and taking the time to actively ‘listen’ and respond to the world in which we work.
With a ‘can-do’ approach, open, supportive and honest we are not afraid to do things differently.
