Teenage football fans in Renfrewshire are set to benefit from an exciting new initiative.
Nil by Mouth, an equalities charity, has been awarded a £3,000 grant from HFD Charitable Foundation to run the 'Us & Them' project in Renfrewshire high schools.
The project will allow young football fans to delve into the culture of Scottish football.
Gleniffer High in Foxbar is one of the schools that benefited from the scheme.
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Football writer and podcaster Daniel Gray visited the school and students took part in a behind-the-scenes tour at St Mirren Football Club.
Emma Alexander, partnership manager at Nil by Mouth, said: "We are very grateful to the HFD Foundation for backing our work in this way and through its investment we can increase the number of young people we are able to work with.
"The donation allows us to take ‘Us & Them’ into schools like Gleniffer and provides a unique opportunity to connect with groups of young fans and explore the passion, pantomime and poison which swirls around football.
"The feedback from the young people has been very positive to date and we aim to kick off similar programmes in other parts of Scotland over the next few months."
Lauren McKenzie, ambassador of HFD Charitable Foundation, said: "Nil by Mouth’s work is helping young people think more critically about football, identity, and how we treat each other – both on and off the pitch.
"The ‘Us & Them’ project encourages honest conversations around quality and respect, while giving pupils a chance to hear from inspiring figures in Scottish sport.
"It’s exactly the kind of grassroots initiative our Charitable Foundation is proud to support – bringing communities together across the region."
Ms McKenzie visited Gleniffer to present a cheque to some of the students and staff involved in the project.
The 'Us & Them' project will also explore rivalry in sport and the acceptable behaviours within football stadiums.
Nil by Mouth marks its 25th anniversary this year.
It was set up by Glasgow teenager Cara Henderson in response to the sectarian murder of her school friend Mark Scott as he made his way home from a football match in the city.
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