Defender Serge Aurier saw first-hand how Tottenham Hotspur Foundation is engaging with students at a local special educational needs (SEN) school when he joined in with their new futsal club.
The youngsters from Riverside School, White Hart Lane, were delighted as their Tottenham Hotspur hero played alongside them in a series of futsal drills after answering their questions about his playing career.
The Foundation uses football to help students improve their technique and control, while building confidence and social skills.
Michelle Beekharry, PE coordinator at Riverside School, has seen the value of the Foundation's work with her students.
"We have built up a very good partnership [with the Foundation] in the last three years," she says. "What we're trying to do is promote independence to enable the kids to play football in school so when they leave at 16, they meet other people who may also have the same barriers as them and can go and play football and make new friends.
"It enables them to have good communication skills, confidence, to be able to work together in a team, to be adaptable, to have resilience and most of all, to have fun. That's what sport is about."
Serge Aurier visits Riverside School
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation works with several SEN schools within the local community, designing bespoke PE programmes to meet the needs of students with a range of disabilities.
By giving young people with disabilities access to one-to-one coaching and support, Spurs aim to help integrate participants into mainstream activities they deliver within the wider community.
"Taking time out of the day to go and meet local young people is one of the best things we can do as players, to give back to the community," Aurier told the club's official website.
"We need to give everything for the young guys when we can."
