Pictured is Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, centre, with pupils, staff and coaches.

A pilot programme using football to pass on key life and leadership skills has netted success for a group of Inverclyde school pupils.

Inverclyde Council’s active school service in partnership with Morton in the Community has been trialling a football leadership programme with Fifth and Sixth Year pupils at Notre Dame High in Greenock.

The initiative gives senior secondary students the opportunity to learn a variety of skills to assist them when it comes to looking for jobs, training or continuing their studies – and to pass their new-found knowledge onto younger pupils in associated primary schools.

So far, the team from Notre Dame have completed a Scottish Football Association (SFA) introduction to coaching course and received life-saving First Aid training, supported by staff and coaches from active schools and Morton in the Community.

The young people have also delivered six weeks of after-school clubs across three local primaries with more events scheduled.

Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, said: “It’s great to see our active schools service alongside our partners at Morton in the Community leading from the front with this pilot project.

“This initiative uses the appeal and popularity of football to pass on a variety of important life skills to our young people.

“The programme ultimately gives our young people a wonderful assist when it comes to looking for jobs, training, or going on to further or higher education, and opens the door to pursuing coaching opportunities.”

Councillor Sandra Reynolds, Inverclyde Council’s sports and healthy lifestyles champion, said: “This is a wonderful initiative that is teaching these young people so many skills associated with sport and activity, health and safety, and of course leadership.

“These are all tangible skills that the students will be able to use in later life along whichever path they choose to follow after school and in the short term by sharing their new-found techniques and knowledge with younger pupils.”

Ross McLaren, education and employability manager for Morton in the Community, said: “The Football Leadership pilot has been another fantastic opportunity for us to work in partnership with Active Schools Inverclyde and Notre Dame High School.

“Throughout the project, we have provided training and mentoring opportunities to the pupils. The aim is to provide pupils with the chance to develop transferable employability skills, as well as a pathway to progress into volunteer coaching.

“So far, it has been pleasing to see the young people develop their leadership skills. We hope to build on this success and continue to offer similar opportunities next academic year.”

The programme was set up to give young people in the senior phase at the school the opportunity to develop skills that they can transfer to further/higher education or the workplace.

There has been a focus on communication, team-building, planning and organisation, as well as coaching young people.

During this term, the students will go back out on another six-week placement, run a football festival and support a football holiday camp.