The excellent work carried out by West Ham United in the Community has had some high-profile television coverage.
A recent visit by Dean Ashton to a special Kickz project open day, held at the department's training ground in Beckton, was filmed by Sky Sports for a special feature. Backed by the Football Foundation and the Met Police Authority, Kickz provides three sessions a week - allowing the community staff to reach in excess of 350 youngsters each time.
Ashton saw at first hand some of the good work being done - not least a 'show racism the red card' workshop with former club favourite Leroy Rosenior and also watched some special coaching sessions. Speaking to WHUTV, the striker said it was great to see the efforts made to "get kids off the street and into football".
He added: "There are some great sessions and great people. The kids really look like they are enjoying themselves. If they weren't here, they would be on the streets or just be at home. To get them here, get them active and involved in football can only be good for the game and you never know there might be some good players here.
"There were things like this when I was younger but not on this scale. I don't think it was quite as big as it is now. It is a credit to the people who have worked hard here that so many people come."
In turn, Andrew Morgan, the club's head of community development, paid tribute to the support from players and coaches. He said: "For the work we do it does help when you have role models come down whether that is Alan Curbishley or Dean Ashton. It is fantastic for us and fantastic for the young people."
Among those working hard to help deliver the Kickz project to the youngsters aged between 12 and 19 is social inclusion manager Dan Godfrey. Speaking to WHUTV, he said: "We are using football as a vehicle to overcome the traditional barriers of crime, drugs and alcohol. We want to help youngsters gain direction in their lives."
He added that one such success story was of a young coach called Tim, who has "come right the way through" the scheme and has since taken his Level 1 coaching certificate. Tim is now helping to give back. "He is our future as a department," Godfrey added. The Sky Sports cameras were particularly taken with Tim, interviewing him and also getting him to try his hand at putting the questions himself in a special on-air interview with Ashton.