Premier League Kicks is turning 20!
This month we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of a programme that for two decades has used the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential in high-need areas of England and Wales.
More than 600,000 young people have come through Premier League Kicks, which is funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Foundation and is now run by 93 clubs across the Premier League, English Football League and National League.
To mark the anniversary, we are speaking to former Premier League Kicks participants to find out what they are doing now and to discover how the programme made an impact on them.
Muktar Hassan, QPR
"Thank you Premier League Kicks for being a part of my journey and for having me as a part of yours. Here's to another successful 20 years and more great stories. Let's keep going because the impact is real... you are changing lives."
During his 20s, Muktar was making bad decisions that were leading to negative consequences.
At this low ebb, he met with coaches and mentors from QPR in the Community Trust who offered him the chance to get involved in training and volunteering.
As a former Premier League Kicks participant, Muktar was well aware of the opportunity he now had to change his life for the better.
Three years on, Muktar is a role model and mentor for other young people in west London as QPR in the Community Trust's Premier League Kicks co-ordinator.
This is his story.
The Premier League. It's More Than A Game
"My parents broke up when I was young and my mum didn't speak the greatest English. She was all about survival. School, food and shelter were her three priorities.
"Growing up on an estate, never having a father figure, it was difficult. You're seeking guidance, mentorship and support and I found it when I started at Premier League Kicks.
"I joined the programme when I was about 13. It had a structure. It created an environment. It was a safe space. There was a badge behind it. You felt like you were part of something.
"Premier League Kicks was my team. It gave me a sense of belonging. Those memories live with me today and I try to recreate that for the young people I now work with.
"After Premier League Kicks, life took an unexpected turn. I went down the wrong path and went with the wrong people. Life was looking very dark at that point. I couldn't see any light.
"It was a series of moments that led me to making a change. There were a lot of signs, I had near-death experiences, it was a specific type of life that you end up in and there are consequences that come with that. I started to realise that this is not who I am.
"Three years ago, I connected with QPR on another programme and I found out that they ran Premier League Kicks. I saw it as an opportunity to change my life and I started volunteering again.
"I had eight years of a long, dark road with many obstacles and suddenly QPR brought back that feeling I had when I was at Premier League Kicks. It put that light back in my heart.
"From the first session I attended as a volunteer supporting the coaches, I thought 'this is what I want to do.' I made my choice and I had to find out what I needed to do to get to where I am today. It was amazing.
"Now I am a father. I'm enjoying embracing the journey of fatherhood. I know what being present as a father is and I'm also doing it for the kids I work with.
"Some of the young people that come to my session, they're lacking a father figure.
"I am always thinking about what else I do for them as well as the football. Do they need CV and interview training or do they need a little check-in, see how they're doing, are they facing any difficulties? I support them and they are grateful for it.
"I feel like I am a father figure to about 40 young people now! I love it. I know what it meant to me. When I deliver these sessions, I try to recreate that same feeling for the new generation. It's warmth, it's togetherness, it's fun.
"I just want to build a good legacy, a name, a reputation, something I can leave behind, so that people can speak highly of me.
"Premier League Kicks means everything to me. I don't know exactly what I'd be doing now without it, but it wouldn't be good.
"It's given me a second chance in life. I made mistakes when I was younger and now, using my experience, I'm trying to help others not to make the same mistakes as me."