Oxfordshire FA is pleased to announce the appointment of Youcef El Barhdadi as the County FA’s new Inclusion Football Officer. 
 
Youcef joins Oxfordshire FA in an exciting period for the Association, as we work to develop a new four-year strategy for grassroots football across the county with inclusion at the heart of it.  

Youcef previously worked as Therapeutic Refugee Football Group Manager at Refugee Resource, which works with Asylum Welcome and Oxford United in the Community, to create a safe space for refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable young migrants to play football with people who have gone through similar life experiences.  

At Oxfordshire FA, Youcef will be overseeing an innovative pilot project over the next 12 months, formed in partnership with local councils across Oxfordshire to use football as a way of bringing refugees and resettled adults, children, young people, and families together. In addition to providing access to local football, and the enjoyment that comes with it, this important initiative will help to ensure access to the vital services and support provided by our Local Authorities to refugees. 

This project forms part of Oxfordshire FA’s aim of connecting more closely to our local communities through the power of football, working collaboratively to deliver football with inclusion at the heart of what we do. It is through joint funding secured from both The Football Association and Oxfordshire County Council that we can bring this project to life. 

Youcef El Barhdadi, Oxfordshire FA’s Inclusion Football Officer, said: "I'm delighted to be appointed Football Inclusion Officer at the Oxfordshire FA. I am dedicated to creating a playing field where everyone, especially refugees and asylum seekers, can find unity, joy, and a sense of belonging through the beautiful game. I am focused on the opportunities ahead and look forward to working collaboratively with the community and stakeholders to make Oxfordshire a beacon of football inclusion." 

Michael Thurlow, Football Development Manager at Oxfordshire FA, said: "We are delighted to welcome Youcef to our team at Oxfordshire FA and very excited by the potential of this exciting project. Through our on-going work growing and developing the game to ensure football is a game for all in our county, we have already seen first-hand how powerful the game can be in bringing people together to forge a sense of community, and we hope it can be used to engage with people and families that have more recently settled in Oxfordshire.” 

For more information on Oxfordshire FA’s inclusion work across grassroots football in the county, click here