OVER 50 youngsters recently attended the official launch of the Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP) Kickz Tower Hamlets project at the Ian Mikardo Special Needs School in Bromley-by-Bow.

Aimed at 12-18 year old boys and girls, this first of two new Kickz projects in the borough saw 10 teams compete in a 5-a-side tournament as well as playing basketball.

The tournament was a great success with Poplar Youth emerging victorious, beating Kickz Starz Ian Mikardo 1-0 in the final.

As well as medals for the winners and runners-up, awards were also handed out for fair play and the best player as well as a special mention award.

Also attending the launch were representatives from the Kickz Steering Group; members of the police, the Football Foundation, Ian Mikardo School, Tower Hamlets Council and LOCSP.

The steering group members watched a Kickz presentation DVD as well as presentations from Tower Hamlets Council, LOCSP, the Metropolitan Police and Kickz representatives on how Kickz Tower Hamlets is progressing.

Kickz was originally developed by the Metropolitan Police and the Premier League and is now managed centrally by the Football Foundation.

Every professional football club in London is now involved with Kickz which is designed to engage young people in a range of constructive activities; to break down barriers between the police and young people; reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in targeted neighbourhoods; increase young people's participation in sport, provide coaching and officiating opportunities and create routes into volunteering, education, training and employment.

Claire Lillis, Headteacher, Ian Mikardo School said:  "I became Headteacher of Ian Mikardo six years ago when it was deemed to be failing. It needed a radical change and alongside the traditional education we looked at other areas such as leisure time and what our boys do during the evenings.

"With our outside playing area we could just say to the boys 'the sports pitch is open have a kickaround - see you later', but this could result in some issues. Kickz has given us an opportunity for our students to play sport and interact with the local community.

"Being professionally managed by Leyton Orient, Kickz sustains high levels of involvement and participation. It's an incredibly positive project and when I think about the students from our school attending it is far healthier for our kids to mix with other young people who aren't at our school in a sociable session.

"They feel safer because they know it is in an organised setting with well-trained staff. This is a really good example of different agencies working together to develop and grow with different sports and activities to engage the young people in."

Councillor Clair Hawkins, Lead Councillor for Children's Services, Tower Hamlets Council said:  "I came down today as I wanted to see the launch of this project in person. It is great to see young people engaging in sport and mixing with people they might not otherwise meet.

"Kickz also gives the young people the chance to participate in other activities such as workshops about drug use and anti-social behaviour.

"It's really good to see work like this at the grassroots level with the Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme and the young people here are a real credit to that programme. The link to a professional club encourages greater participation and gives young people aspirations."

Daniel Rose, Kickz Project Manager London said:  "This first Tower Hamlets project is an example of a great project in motion. It has been running for a couple of months now and exemplifies what the Kickz project is all about.

"This is a great venue with an outside ball court and about 30-40 young people are engaged here at each session three nights a week, 48 weeks a year.

"In taking it to the Ian Mikardo Special Needs School we are targeting a core group who we need to engage. This facility is quite open and all young people in the local area feel comfortable coming here, which is one our aims.

"Its fantastic to have Leyton Orient involved with Kickz - we want to ensure that clubs go into areas that they are comfortable in and that local people are comfortable with them . Leyton Orient fits the bill here and the locals recognise and identify with the club."

Julie Pierzchniak Deputy Head for Inclusion, Ian Mikardo School said:"It is great for our boys to work and interact with kids who don't have the special needs they have - this can only make them more rounded citizens in the community.

"To have a professional club involved give projects like this real credibility and that is what young people want. If they can find this through a Kickz project rather than a gang them I am all for it."

Steve Sipple, Head of Community Services, Tower Hamlets Council / Chair of Kickz Tower Hamlets Steering Group said:  "The launch of this project today is an opportunity to highlight the nature of this work in the borough and to meet those involved with it to see how the project works.

"Having a professional football club involved attracts young people in and helps us with the links to our work with crime reduction, healthy living, drug awareness and music projects.

"Kickz rings all the bells in terms of delivering high quality services to young people. Having Leyton Orient involved also gives them something to aim for, and it's a real opportunity for them to progress further - either in sport or in other ways."

Mark Cross, 15, local resident and Kickz regular  "I saw the flyers for the Leyton Orient Kickz programme and thought why not?

"I have been coming here since it started and really enjoy it - I like to play table tennis, basketball and football.

"I have known the Leyton Orient coaches for about five years now and I get a chance to meet people from around the area."

Paul Sloan, Youth Involvement Inspector, Tower Hamlets Safer Neighbourhoods said:  "Ian Mikardo is a great facility to run the Kickz project at as we have good links with the school and Leyton Orient.

"On a regular basis young people are involved in a worthwhile activity which keeps them away from the potential to get involved in crime and anti-social behaviour.

"The key for us is engaging with young people and getting them to see the police as people they can trust and can communicate with. It's important that we aren't just seen when we are involved with something that needs to be sorted out. It's about seeing the police in a positive light.

"It's vital that a professional club is involved with Kickz as it gives the project a kudos and great links. Furthermore I am an avid Leyton Orient fan so on a personal and professional front it is great to have them involved here."

Sabir Bham, Community Development Manager, Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme said:  "We've had a great turnout of young people from the area - and even had kids turn up from our Hackney Kickz project for the tournament as its good for them to meet different people.

"This project has been running here since February and today was a good opportunity to showcase what we are doing.

"We had the Kickz central team explaining to the various parties what they are doing locally. We also had a chance to explain what our long-term aims for this project are as well.

"It's important for us to get our message across as we are looking at this project long-term. It is vital to showcase what we are doing and what the young people are up to.

"Seeing the kids enjoying themselves here in an area where there is a lot of social depravation is what it is all about and we welcome anyone reading this to come down and join in."

For more information on free sports sessions in Tower Hamlets and Kickz please contact Kofi Mpiani, Tower Hamlets Development Officer at Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP) on 020 8556 5973 or email enquiries@locsp.org