The Irish FA Foundation's award-winning Stay Onside scheme is harnessing football to create positive opportunities for participants at Hydebank Wood College.

Aimed at diverting young people and young adults away from offending, the programme develops skills and opens pathways into areas such as volunteering, coaching and refereeing.

A recent visit to Hydebank provided an opportunity to see the initiative in action and to hear directly from female participants about its impact.

Mark Dennison, Irish FA Foundation Community Engagement Manager, said: "Stay Onside provides participants with football experience, coupled with educational modules and a pathway into the game. It's not just about kicking a ball, but showcasing the many different options the game can offer them when they leave the prison system." One participant echoed this: "It shows you all the different aspects of football. It's not just playing football. There's coaching, there's taking part and even the disability side shows you another aspect as well."

Catherine Russell, from the Northern Ireland Prison Service, said the programme was already having a positive impact: "The Stay Onside programme really brings the girls together, teaches them to work as part of a team and gives them opportunities to experience brand new things.

"For the Northern Ireland Prison Service this partnership is really important, and success means for us people getting skills that they can use when they return to the community."

For more information on the programme, please email Mark Dennison, Stay Onside and Fresh Start Through Sport Co-Ordinator, at mark.dennison@irishfa.com.