Program Aims to Enhance Inmate Wellbeing and Reentry through Soccer Education and Sports Leadership Trainings
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 19, 2024) - D.C. United today announced a new innovative partnership with Twinning Project and the DC Department of Corrections (DOC) to reach incarcerated individuals at the Central Detention Facility (CDF) and Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), teaching critical life skills and leadership through soccer. The program, beginning on Aug. 20, 2024, will “twin” the Major League Soccer (MLS) club, D.C. United, with the DOC through an 8-week program.
Qualified coaches from D.C. United and the D.C. United Academy will visit the facility twice a week to provide training and educational support to low-risk, pre-qualified inmates who are approaching release. This program, which originated in the United Kingdom and has now expanded to the United States, has demonstrated significant success in connecting professionals with participants.
Hilton Freund MBE, Global CEO of the Twinning Project commented, “The Twinning Project is delighted to be expanding its USA footprint with our valuable partners D.C. United and the DC Department of Corrections. Over the last six years the Twinning Projects, proven criminal justice sports-based intervention has been delivering encouraging results with significant impact. D.C. United and DC Department of Corrections join a host of professional sporting brands and correctional facilities on four continents delivering this valuable inspirational work.”
In addition to soccer instruction, the program aims to enhance participants' critical life skills, including patience, discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, and confidence, while also promoting improvements in their physical and mental well-being.
“D.C. United are deeply honored to collaborate with the Twinning Project and the DC Department of Corrections on this initiative as it aligns with our community pillars of Empowerment, Opportunity and Service," said Shanell Mosley, D.C. United Sr. Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the D.C. United Foundation. "Through this program, we aim to leverage the transformative power of sports to engage with individuals in the correctional facility and inspire them to believe in a brighter future for themselves upon re-entry. The Twinning Project has achieved remarkable success in its partnerships within the UK and U.S., and D.C. United is proud to advance this important program in the DMV area.”
“This collaboration underscores the powerful impact that community partnerships can have on the lives of individuals experiencing incarceration. Over 95% of the individuals in our care will eventually return home, and the critical work of providing them with the tools and opportunities needed for successful reentry starts as soon as they enter our facilities,” said Thomas Faust, Director of the DC Department of Corrections. “Programs like this play a critical role in enhancing physical and mental well-being of our residents and offer creative outlets that reduce tension and contribute to a positive environment. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Twinning Project for their visionary leadership and to D.C. United for their commitment to making a meaningful difference through the power of sports.”
For more information about D.C. United please visit: www.dcunited.com.
About D.C. United
One of the founding clubs of Major League Soccer in 1996, D.C. United are among the most decorated teams in the United States with 13 domestic and international trophies.
D.C. United have called the District home for the last 28 seasons and play their home games at Audi Field in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of Southwest, Washington, D.C, which opened in 2018. In addition to D.C. United games, the 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium hosts over 100 events year-round and is home to America’s number one sportsbook through a partnership with FanDuel Group.
The Black-and-Red train at the Inova Performance Complex, a state-of-the-art training facility and performance center located in Leesburg, Va. The 40,000 square foot 30-acre training facility, that opened in 2021, features four outdoor practice fields, and a training center equipped with a weight room and recovery facilities.
The Black-and-Red have won the MLS Cup four times (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004), the Supporters’ Shield four times (1997, 1999, 2006 and 2007) and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times (1996, 2008 and 2013). For more information and club updates, please visit http://www.dcunited.com and find us on social media @dcunited.
About Twinning Project
The Twinning Project is a charity that pairs prisons with sports clubs to deliver coaching, skills and other employability-based qualifications to help prisoners prepare for release and become less likely to reoffend. Launched in the UK in 2018, The Twinning Project has partnered with over 70 Premier League and Championship-level soccer clubs and has expanded to the USA, South Africa, Australia, and Italy.
About DC Departments of Corrections
The Department of Corrections (DOC) is committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and humane environment for those in our custody and care, while offering transformative opportunities for treatment and rehabilitation to support successful reentry into the community.
The DOC operates two main correctional facilities within the District of Columbia—the Central Detention Facility (CDF), also known as the DC Jail, and the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF). Both facilities are nationally accredited and adhere to all standards for jail operations and medical services set by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. For more information, please visit doc.dc.gov.
