The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with Soul Touchin’ Experiences LLC (STE) aimed at advancing inclusion, equity, and integrity in sport through a dedicated mentorship programme for American youth with disabilities.
Formalized today, the collaboration brings together SIGA’s globally recognized SIGAWomen mentorship model and STE’s expertise in community engagement, civic empowerment, and accessible sport. The result: a US-focused programme designed to empower young people with disabilities through leadership development, community-based activities, and practical pathways into careers in sport.
The new mentorship programme, developed in anticipation to the much-awaited FIFA World Cup 2026, will combine soccer with digital innovation, such as e-soccer, to ensure maximum accessibility and participation. By bridging sport, arts, and technology, this initiative will serve as a gateway to meaningful social inclusion and youth empowerment.
In addition to adapting the mentorship model, the partnership will include co-organized events, and shared efforts to embed integrity and good governance into sport at all levels. The initiative also aligns with SIGA’s broader mission to promote diverse leadership and inclusive systems across the global sports landscape.
Katie Simmonds, SIGA’s Global Chief Commercial Officer, and Chair of the SIGAWomen Council, highlighted the significance of this partnership:
“This community impact project means a lot to us. By harnessing the power of soccer and mentorship, building on the experience and legacy being built by SIGAWomen and wide SIGA universe, we are committed to opening doors of opportunity for disabled and marginalized youth across America, offering not just education, but empowerment, joy and pathways to employment. Keith Jones and Soul Touchin’ Experiences have long been at the forefront of real, transformative change, uniting humanity through the simple yet profound idea of equal opportunities for all. I’ve always admired Keith’s vision, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with him and Soul Touchin’ to evolve SIGAWomen into a true catalyst for change. Together, we’re poised to harness the global energy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to ignite lasting impact and change lives for generations to come.
Keith Jones is the President and CEO of SoulTouchin’ Experiences and Co-Founder Emeritus of Krip-Hop Nation. Keith received an Emmy Award for his lyrics for the title track of the 2020 Netflix documentary, Rising Phoenix. He has also been recognized for his leadership throughout the years. recently being honored with 2023 PYD Oswald Mondejar Innovation Award 2023 Max Starkloff Lifetime Achievement Award. Speaking about the cooperation with SIGA, he stated:
“Accessible Sports in Society – ASIS is initially a two year project by Soul Touchin’ Experiences LLC and will be developed through a partnership with Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network. By engaging the community at the intersection of sports, arts and technology, we will be using the game of soccer as a gateway to full community inclusion. We are excited to announce our partnership with SIGA as one of our collaborators for mentorship.”
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ABOUT SOUL TOUCHIN’ EXPERIENCES
Soul Touchin’ Experiences LLC is an organisation whose mission is to bridge policy, community engagement and economic development through arts, civic engagement and entrepreneurship.
To contact Soul Touchin’ Experiences, please email: kpjones@dasoultouchin.com
ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity. We are creating a whole new landscape for the sports industry by delivering independent global rating and certification for world Sport to ensure it is governed and operates under the highest integrity standards: The SIGA Universal Standards.
Funded by our Members, SIGA is a non for profit global independent organisation with one aim: To ensure the sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a non for-profit association, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA, SIGA EUROPE and SIGA LATIN AMERICA.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com and FAQs.
To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.
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