Butch speaks to youngsters about Football for All.
Butch Fazal has been leading the Football for All project in Bedfordshire.
Kick It Out spoke to Butch about his work and how he feels it is making a difference to young people who were previously disengaged with the game.
Tell us about your project?
The Football for All project aims to encourage BME (Black Minority Ethnic) youngsters into coaching and also offers support to aspiring young players.
We take the project into schools and to young people across Bedfordshire and try to help provide a pathway into the game.
Who are you working with?
Mainly youngsters aged between 14 - 21 years old. Most of the youngsters are coming from the Asian community in Luton, which makes up around 20% of the town.
We have targeted this age group having identified that it is while young people are in their teens that they tend to become disillusioned with things. It is also a time when young people are making important decisions in their lives and need support.
The project encourages the youngsters to stay in the game be it as players or coaches; get qualified and develop the skills the game teaches, such as leadership and communication. These skills will be useful throughout their lives - whichever career path they should choose.
We tell the guys 'Don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution'.
How has Kick It Out helped out?
Kick It Out have helped us out in a lot of ways.
They have funded our activities twice through Community Chest grants and have always been on hand with some sound advice to help us develop our work.
Kick It Out have been there all the way from the very start.
What are the future aims for the project?
We are always evaluating our work and it's effectiveness in the community. It's important we are identifying the issues facing the youngsters and addressing them.
Because of the success we've had the project has become hugely popular and the demand is now quite hard to deal with. But we have some ambitious plans for the future and take a lot of heart from what we've achieved so far.
We have also developed partnerships with professional clubs which has helped us to forge links with clubs scouts.
But essentially our aim is to ensure that any youngster that has the ambition to achieve in the game is given the opportunity to do so - regardless of their background, race or religion.
For further information on Football for All or to contact Butch email us here.
* Are you using football in your community to make a difference? Do you need help, support or advice? If you are and would like to speak to Kick It Out about your work contact us here.
