The FA have secured partnership funding from both UEFA and the Government for its Hat-Trick regeneration programme, a three-year scheme that will see the appointment of 19 community football workers.

Their role will be to provide a range of football opportunities for young people aged 7-16, while helping to address issues such as health, social exclusion and anti social behaviour.

The programme was launched yesterday at England's Slaley Hall training base, by The FA's Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking who was joined by three local children, Danny Gallagher, Director of the Newcastle NDC and Cora Cloughley, Development Support Worker for Children and Young People. All of them watched England train yesterday, before being invited to tonight's World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan as guests of The FA.

“This is a hugely exciting and rewarding project which demonstrates how The FA can support the Government in key areas,” said FA Chairman and UEFA Vice-President Geoff Thompson.

“The community football workers will focus on areas that suffer from multiple deprivation; poor health, housing, education, and high incidences of crime and drug abuse. These areas also include significant ethnic minority communities and this scheme will enable The FA to further its commitment to Football for All.”

FA chief executive Brian Barwick added: “The FA has made huge strides in the development of grassroots football since the launch of a five-year strategy in 2001, and the Hat-Trick programme provides more evidence of the wonderful benefits football can bring across society.”

The seeds for the project were sewn when UEFA provided each of its member associations with £1.1million as part of its own grassroots initiative to promote and develop football infrastructures across Europe.

The FA then won a secured partnership funding of £3.4 million from the New Deal for Communities after successfully demonstrating how it could help deliver its education, health and social inclusion programmes.

New Deal for Communities (NDC) and Neighbourhood Management partnerships were established by John Prescott’s Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The NDC and NMP communities taking part in Hat-Trick include parts of Birmingham, Bolton, Bristol, Derby, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Sheffield and Hull - who successfully bid to take part.

John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister said welcoming the partnership:

"In many areas, deprivation and lack of achievement are deeply entrenched and long-standing.  I hope that this scheme will bring many youngsters together who will benefit in developing social and leadership skills and am delighted that The FA, UEFA and the other organisations are working in partnership with our NDCs and Neighbourhood Management pathfinders in this regeneration initiative."

The community football workers will work closely with schools and local clubs, and will have four priorities:

- To get young people into football
- To develop sustainable opportunities for children through FA Charter Standard clubs
- To develop leaders and coaches from within the communities
- To support the Government target of providing two hours of PE in schools every week

“The most obvious benefit football brings is to health,” said Kelly Simmons, The FA’s Head of Football Development. “We are all aware of the increasing concerns about obesity in young people. That’s why it’s so important for football’s governing bodies and the government to work in partnership to create more structured opportunities to play our national game.

“It follows on that as young people become more active and involved in leadership and coaching opportunities, so we are likely to begin tackling anti-social behaviour and some of the other problems that stem from boredom and lack of direction.

“We also want to give as many young people as possible the confidence and motivation to gain football coaching and leadership qualifications so they can also go out and work in the community.”

Lars-Christer Olsson, Chief Executive of UEFA, said: “Our congratulations go to the The FA and Government for the way they have worked hand-in-hand to build on the opportunities created by UEFA’s initial grant. This is a role model of excellence for Europe’s other footballing nations to pursue.”

The communities to benefit are:

EAST Norwich NELM Development Trust NDC, Norwich
EAST MIDLANDS Derby Derwent NDC with Derby County FITC
LONDON (east) Shoreditch NDC
LONDON (north-west) South Kilburn NDC
LONDON (south) Clapham Park NDC, Brixton
LONDON (south) New Cross Gate NDC
LONDON (south) Aylesbury NDC, Southwark
NORTH EAST Newcastle Newcastle NDC
NORTH WEST Lancashire   Hattersley Neighbourhood NMP
NORTH WEST Bolton   Great Lever NMP, Bolton
NORTH WEST Manchester  East Manchester NDC and School Sport Partnership
NORTH WEST Oldham  Oldham MBC
NORTH WEST Liverpool  Dingle Youth Sport, Liverpool
SOUTH WEST Bristol Barton Hill NDC, Bristol
WEST MIDLANDS West Bromwich  Greets Green Partnership NDC, West Bromwich
WEST MIDLANDS Birmingham  Aston Pride NDC, Birmingham
WEST MIDLANDS Walsall Walsall Wardens and Shelfield Sports College
YORKSHIRE & HUMBER Sheffield  Burngreave NDC, Burngreave Sports Network and Sheffield Leisure Services
YORKSHIRE & HUMBER Hull Preston Road NDC, Hull

The NDC programme is £2billion investment by ODPM into 39 New Deal for Communities areas in England spread over a 10 year period which began in 1999-2000.  Decision making powers to identify the local problems and find solutions rest with the NDC's board of whom residents are significantly represented.

In total there are 35 Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders (NMP) funded by ODPM with £107m over a seven year period.