Netan Sansara

Birmingham City's Community Department is heavily involved in working with thousands of young people across the city of Birmingham and beyond, aiming to inspire them to better futures.

In this, the first of a two-part look at the extensive work carried out by the Community Department we take a look at the ground-breaking Football Development and Education programme.

In a couple of weeks we'll bring you more on the social inclusion and coaching projects the Community Department are involved in, all of which, just like the Football Development and Education programme, follow the Our City, Our Vision ethos of trying to make a difference across Birmingham.

But we begin with further details on the Football Development and Education programme - and fascinating case studies that highlight just how much of a success story it truly is.

FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Birmingham City Football Club's Community Department is leading the way in offering a unique full-time football and education programme for school leavers.

Blues are the only club offering a full-time education programme using dedicated rooms in the stadium and football pitches at Wast Hills Training Ground. The programme is also supported by the Premier League.

In a large county such as the West Midlands, Birmingham City Football Club realise that there is large amount of unseen football talent out there.

As the club's Academy can only take a limited number of scholars every year, a Football Development and Education Programme was initiated to discover and nurture local sporting skills and give the football club a wider talent base.

Former Blues favourites are helping the club to pioneer this star-finding system. Ex-captains Kevan Broadhurst and Martin O'Connor, plus Graham Hyde and Kevin Poole coach the players every day at the Wast Hills training HQ in West Heath.

The players then head to St Andrew's in the afternoons to study for a BTEC First Diploma in Sport or a BTEC National Diploma in Sport, and Level One and Level Two Certificates in Football Coaching. This gives them the opportunity to work for the club's Community Department throughout the year.

It is designed to nurture local footballers who may have drifted out of the game, failed to land a scholarship at an Academy or are just local untapped talent, all this without compromising their education.

The scheme has been running since 2002 and has seen many young players progress to a higher standard of education and football.
The players really feel part of BCFC and play as Birmingham City in the Football Conference Youth League.

CASE STUDIES
Featured here are just a few of the Football Development and Education programme's success stories…

Netan Nico Sansara joined the programme in July 2005. He has now signed a professional contract at Walsall and recently made his England under-18 debut against France - becoming the second full Asian to play at youth level for England - and his debut for the Saddlers' first team on 9 August 2008.

Brendan Glennon and Kevan Broadhurst

Brendan Glennon plays for Kevan Broadhurst's BCFC team in the Midlands Division of the Football Conference Youth League.

He achieved a BTEC National Diploma with three distinctions (equivalent to three A grade A levels) and is pictured receiving his award for Manager's Most Improved from Kevan last season. Brendan leaves us this year to take up his place at Birmingham University studying Sports Science.

Silothabo Dliso is originally from Zimbabwe. He soon felt at home when he joined the Football Development and Education Programme in 2005.

Not only was Silo a talented footballer but he also excelled in his academic work and became an accomplished football coach.

Silo is pictured receiving his coach of the year award from Community Director Dean Holtham.

Dean Holtham and Silothabo Dliso

Silo now combines his coaching commitments for the club with studying a Sports Therapy Degree at Birmingham University College. Silo will then return to the programme as one of our sports therapists.

Off to the States are this group of players, who are all set to secure playing scholarships in the USA.

This will allow them to study at degree level whilst playing full time in the US soccer leagues. One of those is James Kelly.

James is one of our aspiring young goalkeepers and is pictured here playing against Crawley Town in the Football Conference Youth League.

Since joining the programme James has always had an ambition to become a pilot. He is set to realise his dream as he has secured a playing scholarship combined with an aeronautical degree at Daytona Beach, Florida.

James Kelly

Jason Ramsay and Craig Gill both spent a number of years in the Birmingham City FC Academy before joining the Football Development Programme.

They were both exemplary students and performed well in the classroom and on the football pitch.

They were members of the Moor Green Youth Team (run by Birmingham City FC Community Department at the time) and both achieved the BTEC National Diploma in Sport and Level Two Certificate in Coaching Football.

They have since gained degrees in sport and Craig gained a special award from the Lord Mayor for his work.

They now work full time for the Department and are invaluable members of staff and we are extremely proud of them.