The Premier League Charitable Fund and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) have launched a new partnership that will use the power of football to help reduce anti-social behaviour and foster meaningful change across England and Wales.
The partnership will involve the charitable arm of the Premier League working closely with the NPCC and 43 police forces to support collaborative working between professional football club charities and their local police forces.
It aims to inspire young people to reach their potential and provide them with positive opportunities which divert them away from possible involvement in anti-social behaviour, crime and youth violence.
"With the Premier League's continued investment, and by joining forces with the National Police Chiefs' Council, we are addressing shared challenges such as anti-social behaviour and youth violence," said Tim Godwin OBE QPM, Chair of the Premier League Charitable Fund and former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
"This partnership approach will encourage collective action that we hope will lead to safer, more connected communities, with football at the heart of that transformation."
The Premier League Charitable Fund's partnership with the NPCC, the body that enables independent Chief Constables and their forces to work together to improve policing for the public, will support 93 professional football club charities delivering the Premier League Kicks programme to work collaboratively with police forces to benefit people in their local communities.
As well as joining forces to raise awareness of positive community initiatives and to share professional resources, the partnership also involves the formation of a data sharing agreement to allow police forces and professional football club charities to share non-personal statistical data.
This data will allow the Premier League Charitable Fund and NPCC to monitor the success of the Premier League's longest running community programme, Premier League Kicks, in reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour in priority areas identified by the NPCC.
"The Premier League Kicks programme is a fantastic way of engaging youth, developing self-esteem and teamwork, which supports the policing mission to create safer streets and tackle crime and anti-social behaviour," said Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet, NPCC Lead for Anti-Social Behaviour.
"This is an exciting collaboration between the NPCC and the Premier League Charitable Fund and that will allow us to understand the positive impact this amazing programme has on all our communities.
"We look forward to continuing to work with the Premier League Charitable Fund on the Premier League Kicks programme to reap the benefits which extend far beyond football in its ability to positively impact young lives."
Launched in 2006 as a collaboration between the Premier League and the Metropolitan Police, Premier League Kicks uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential.
Today, Premier League Kicks is delivered by 93 professional football club charities and is supported by 36 police forces across England and Wales. More than 520,000 young people have benefitted from the programme to date.
"The Premier League is committed to using the power of football to create lasting change in communities," said Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters.
"Through working closely with the police, we will continue to create opportunities for young people to thrive. Football is more than a game, and programmes like Premier League Kicks prove that.
"Working together with the Premier League Charitable Fund and Club Community Organisations across the country, we can build a legacy that extends far beyond the pitch, ensuring that our impact is felt by those who need it most."
