Kodansha teams up with Liverpool FC to nurture creative young talent
Japanese publisher Kodansha has announced a partnership with Liverpool FC which will see the pair co-operate in nurturing young talent in the city.
Driven by the belief that ‘stories can inspire and change people’s lives’, Kodansha is working with the club’s official charity, LFC Foundation, to launch an employability programme called ‘Creative Works’.
The scheme, which started in September 2021, will be delivered to a total of four cohorts of students from Liverpool John Moores University and local sixth form colleges.
It will target young people from challenging backgrounds, inspiring them to achieve careers in the creative industry. The participants will receive support and mentoring with creative skill-building, CV and interview techniques, public speaking and confidence building, and workplace expectations to prepare them to achieve their career goals.
Working with seven creative organisations in Liverpool across various sectors, including theatre, media and gaming, participants could also be in with a chance of earning a work experience placement.
Kodansha has also committed to making donations with creative and art materials, to support children’s literacy in the city.
The company has a wide range of products, across 40 countries including TV and anime, magazines, picture books and novels, and official merchandise. It is also a publisher of the popular comic and graphic novel series manga among its best-known titles are Attack on Titan, Akira and Sailor Moon.
Billy Hogan, CEO of Liverpool FC, said: “Through our partnership with Kodansha, one of the world’s largest publishers, we look forward to creating programmes which will help inspire future generations through creativity and storytelling.
“Over the past 18 months, our LFC Foundation has been building its ‘Works’ initiative, to provide a range of employability schemes for those aged 16 and over to help get their foot on the career ladder. We are delighted to work with Kodansha to launch ‘Creative Works’, a programme that will provide opportunities for young people to pursue their dreams in creative careers and realise their potential.”
Yoshinobu Noma, president of Kodansha, said: I have a very special feeling about this partnership with LFC. Every single match that the team plays in front of their fans all over the world, incredible stories are created and shared, sparking joy and excitement. We want to harness that extraordinary power to inspire impossible stories and build a strong, successful partnership. Let us create stories that bring passion and ignite inspiration around the world, together.”
Main Image: Liverpool FC/Kodansha
