British rapper Stormzy is partnering with Adidas and ten other brands, including Sky Sports, Manchester United, and Fulham FC, on a program to help young black people in the U.K. secure jobs and leadership positions in football. The initiative is named Merky FC, after Stormzy’s philanthropic foundation. The launch follows research commissioned by Adidas in collaboration with FARE Network, which has revealed that only 6.7 percent of senior roles in football are taken by people with black or mixed-black heritage. Each brand involved in the Merky FC program will provide work placements within their businesses in an effort to change the current situation. The initiative will be available to young people of black heritage aged 18 to 24.

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