THOUSANDS of young people in Colchester are being supported and taught essential advice thanks to the efforts of a football club.
Colchester United has carried out outreach work within the community as part of a youth programme delivering advice and guidance to children and teenagers.
The scheme, teaching more than 6,500 school childrenfocused on health, participation, education and inclusion and was funded by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
The PFCC contributed £12,000 to a range of schemes which were then delivered directly to schools in the area.
Some of the projects included the Fly Like An Eagle campaign, a twelve-week motivational one-to-one mentoring scheme, and the Many Minds, One Heart project, teaching the importance of mental health.
The Unite Our Communities scheme, meanwhile, taught youngsters about forms of extremism, and the Unite Against Knife Crime project raised awareness of the impacts carrying a blade.
PFCC Roger Hirst said: “Football teams, by their very nature, attract followers, including young people who carry a high level of respect for those wearing their favoured shirt.
“By using that level of attention for good in this way, the football club is helping to share extremely important messages and life lessons to our young people.”
Ed King, health and inclusion manager at Colchester United, praised the club's partnership with the PFCC, saying it enables them to continue to develop young people in the area.
He added: “Whenever Colchester United walk into a room, young people stop and listen, especially those who are hard to reach and young males who may disengage with others.
"With us, they are going to pay attention and listen. They have a relationship with the Colchester United badge and so they sit up and take notice.
“That is why schools are really keen to work with us. We go in in our tracksuits and the young people are interested in what we have to say. Football club charities are so crucial for that reason.
"There is a need for it. Football has a power to engage people.
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