This week, the Premier League announced an increased commitment to supporting primary and secondary education as part of the League's three-year commitment to supporting local communities.
And as millions of children and young people across England and Wales prepare to return to school, we take a look at how two of the programmes that will benefit from this additional funding, Premier League Inspires and Premier League Primary Stars, makes a impact on the lives of young people.
Amelia, Sunderland
For a long time, Amelia found school difficult due to struggles with her mental health. Her attendance was patchy, her self-esteem was low and she found it hard to connect with classmates.
However, everything changed when she was introduced to Premier League Inspires through the Foundation of Light, the official charity of Sunderland AFC.
Through weekly one-to-one mentoring sessions at school with Amber Durrant - a Premier League Inspires tutor at the Foundation - Amelia found a safe space to talk, reflect and rebuild her confidence.
"I just didn't like coming into school at all," Amelia says. "I preferred to do nothing and stay at home. Once I opened up about how I felt coming into school, Amber changed it straight away.
"I love speaking when I feel like I can open up about anything. She helps me a lot with my mental health and attendance - now I enjoy school and I love coming in."
And, as a huge Sunderland fan and season ticket holder, Amelia instantly clicked with Amber. Seeing the club badge on Amber's shirt made her feel at ease, and for the first time in a long time, excited to take part.
"Just a simple conversation between us both at the beginning revealed she loved Sunderland AFC with every bone in her body," Amber says. "I was able to build that rapport at the beginning which lead to Amelia asking for help to talk about her emotions and talk about the bigger issues she was facing.”
From chats about football and mental health to practical steps for getting back into school, Amber guided Amelia on a journey to newfound confidence.
Fast forward a few months and Amelia’s transformation has been nothing short of inspiring. She now attends school regularly and loves it.
“When I look at Amelia I'm so proud of the progress she's made," Amber says. "She always says hello to me when we're in the corridors and she's always laughing and giggling with her friends whenever I pass her.
"I'm proud of how she can sit in front a camera and speak about her own progress and how happy she is in school and how much she wants to attend."
Amelia’s story is a powerful example of how football-themed mentoring can help young people re-engage with education and unlock their potential.
And she's far from alone.
Now in its sixth year of delivery, Premier League Inspires has engaged more than 40,000 young people aged 11-to-18, supporting them to reach their potential in more than 1,000 education establishments across England and Wales.
Using the power of football, the programme, which is delivered by professional football club charities, helps to prepare young people for further education and employment through a series of face-to-face mentoring sessions, workshops and social-action projects.
Research conducted by Sheffield Hallam University into the impact of Premier League Inspires on pupils’ attendance and behaviour in the 2024-2025 academic year revealed that 92% of schools believe that Premier League Inspires helps to improve pupils’ behaviour, while 96% state that the programme increases pupils’ engagement in lessons.
At Foundation of Light, 70% of students engaged in the programme have improved their attendance thanks to mentoring sessions, while over 850 pupils have been involved with the initiative, the highest number of students to ever complete the programme in the region.
With the continued support of clubs charities like the Foundation of Light, thousands more young people will have the chance to thrive on and off the pitch.
You can find out more about Premier League Inspires here.