College sets up football team to try and encourage more males to work in health and social care sector

It was formed in March, and The Evergreen Boys was set up by the School of Health Science and Social Care at Leeds City College in a bid to encourage more male students to explore health and social care courses by breaking down barriers and showing that a job in the sector can be an admirable career path for anyone.

As well as the football team, there will be other activities to show what the sector has to offer.

Liam Oldfield, student support coordinator at Leeds City College, said: “Historically, we’ve seen a notable imbalance of males enrolled on health and social care courses. This is due to

the deep-rooted stereotypes of males within these roles, which we’re committed to challenging.

our students to speak to male learners who are considering their career options, showcasing the benefits of working in this sector.”

The seven-strong team recently achieved first place in the Quarry Hill Cup - a Luminate Education Group-wide tournament organised by the college’s Student Life team. Hosted at

Powerleague Leeds Central, the event saw staff and student teams from across the group compete.

Health and Social Care student, Augustine Nnaemeka Martins, added: “It’s incredibly important for us to have positive male role models within the sector, so we’re working

together with tutors to overcome stereotypes and show that health and social care is an admirable career path for males.

“The football team has allowed male students to come together and break boundaries, showing that anyone can pursue a future in the healthcare sector. Winning the tournament

has given us the confidence to continue promoting healthcare courses, with the hope to inspire our generation.”

During this academic year, the department has hit a record for the most male enrolments on health and social care courses.