Accompanied by Harry Kane, Ledley King, Sarah Ebanja, Chief Executive of Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, Bill Bush, Executive Director of the Premier League, and Tim Godwin, Former Deputy Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor observed a football coaching session delivered by Tottenham Hotspur before meeting youngsters who have been through the programme.

Premier League Kicks, which was launched in 2006 with the help of Tottenham Hotspur at Ferry Lane Estate, uses the power of football to help young people who are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour or crime and break down the barriers between young people and the police.

As well as delivering football skills, sessions aim to help young people work together to build a safer, stronger and more respectful community, and equip them with skills to help steer them away from crime.

Today, the Premier League, Metropolitan Police and City Hall have announced a new three-year partnership to enhance the delivery of Kicks in London. The Premier League and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) are investing additional funding into the programme to provide more free football sessions, workshops and mentoring schemes for young Londoners. With the aim of offering workshops and mentoring for those most in need, such as young people who attend Pupil Referral Units in London. The project will continue to help build positive relationships between young people and the police, with Met officers regularly attending the London sessions. As a result of the additional funding, Kicks will now be run from 150 locations across the capital, which will engage more than 25,000 young people over the next three years.

Tottenham Hotspur runs Kicks sessions at venues across Haringey, including New River Sports Centre, Seven Sisters Primary School, Duke’s Aldridge Academy and Ferry Lane Estate, and to date has engaged 8,000 young people across Haringey.

Since it launched 13 years ago, Kicks has been rolled out to 69 professional clubs in the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) via the Premier League Charitable Fund and has engaged more than 300,000 young people.

The success of our delivery is highlighted by the stories of 11 of our Kicks coaches who have come through the programme to work on a full-time or part-time basis for the Foundation.

In addition to Kicks, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation runs several programmes to help improve the lives of young people living in Haringey, including:

• Tottenham Hotspur Community Football League - a Friday night football tournament for teenagers run in partnership with Haringey Council and the Metropolitan Police
• Passion 4 Coaching – Mauricio Pochettino’s programme that trains youngsters within the Club’s local community to become volunteer coaches
• The Duke of Edinburgh Award – a project which recognises adolescents and young adults for completing a series of self-improvement exercises

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “I know from personal experience that sport can provide young people with life-changing opportunities, and I want all young Londoners to have the chance to reach their full potential. That is why I’m supporting the Premier League Kicks programme, providing young Londoners with free sports coaching, helping to build stronger and safer communities. The best time to stop violent crime is before it starts. This means investing in our young people, investing in our communities and investing in our city so that we give the next generation the chance to thrive.”

Ledley King, Club Ambassador, said: “I was lucky enough to be at the launch of Kicks back in 2006, and since then have attended multiple Kicks sessions and have seen the positive impact the programme has on young people. Having been involved in the Club’s community work for several years, I am fully aware of the challenges young people in our community face. This project is a fantastic way of engaging children in sport and ensuring they choose the right pathways in life.”

Harry Kane said: “As a local lad, and someone who has played for Tottenham Hotspur since the age of 16, I am very proud of my Club and what it’s achieved through Kicks. Having access to play football, or any sport regularly, is important not just to improve your physical health, but your mental health as well. It’s been a pleasure visiting today’s session, and I hope the youngsters that I have met go onto achieve great things in their lives.”

Sarah Ebanja, Chief Executive, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: “Tottenham Hotspur Foundation has been making a difference to people’s lives for over a decade. We are proud to have piloted the Kicks programme 13 years ago and are still running the programme successfully to this day. We are passionate about providing young people with pathways and opportunities to play sport in a safe environment and equipping them with transferable skills which will help them have a positive future.”

Shaquille Thompson, who is 18 years old and has attended Tottenham Hotspur Kicks since the age of 11, said: “Kicks has played a major part in my teenage years and helped me become the person I am today. As well as improving my football skills, it’s kept me out of trouble, allowed me to make new friends and improved my transferable skills. I now work as a volunteer coach on the programme and hope that I can inspire young people to take the same path as me.”

Bill Bush, Executive Director, Premier League, said: “For more than 13 years, Premier League Kicks has given young people access to free football, sport and educational sessions in local communities. We are pleased to extend this delivery in partnership with City Hall, the Metropolitan Police and professional football clubs, as well as the thousands of young people who get involved. Using clubs’ ability to regularly engage and build trusted relationships, the programme aims to provide a positive influence in young peoples’ lives. Kicks will continue to support them to develop their potential and to make a positive contribution in their communities, while also addressing topics from youth violence to equality and inclusion.”