Jack Wilshere, Kal Naismith and Mick Harford visited Chiltern Academy earlier this week as part of the EFL Week of Action, supporting the Luton Town Community Trust’s work in local schools.
Leading a PE session with the students at the school situated next to The Brache was former Town scholar and young pro Avan Jones, who combines his work for the Trust with playing part-time for National League South side Enfield Town.
The event formed part of the Trust’s Brighter Futures project, which supports students who are disengaged from education. The initiative aims to inspire young people at risk of not reaching their potential by equipping them with the confidence, resilience, and essential life skills needed to succeed.
The afternoon started with the Town foursome coaching teams out on the school’s five-a-side pitches, before Jack, Mick and Avan answered pupils’ questions on their careers and how they deal with set-backs and wellbeing in their roles in an informative session.
“The community is so important to the football club, just as the club is so important to the community,” said Jack. “We have to be together, we have to spend time together and we have to be open to having people into the training ground for visits, too.
“Arsenal had a similar feel and now for me, Luton has a real family feel. For me personally, these are places where I want to be. I want to be with good people that have the same vision and same ideas, and yes, there are tough times along the way, but as long as you feel like you’re with good people and there is a family feel, you can get through it.
“When I was getting the job we spoke about this and how we have to keep what we’ve got going here with the fans and the community, and try to improve it. We keep trying to build on that and find ways to inspire the kids, get them to watch training, bring them to games.
“I’m a dad and I know how much my 14-year-old son looks up to footballers as role models, especially nowadays with social media as well, it’s so open and so out there. We have to make them feel like they are part of us, which they are.”
Daniel Douglas, Head of Luton Town Community Trust, said: “We have previously worked with students at Chiltern Academy, delivering our Brighter Futures one-to-one mentoring sessions. These sessions are designed to help participants build their personal, social, and life skills through regular face-to-face mentoring.
“The project has specifically supported students with care experience or those on support plans, including Child in Need, Child Protection, and Edge of Care. More recently, we supported Luton Borough Council’s “Next Step” event at Chiltern Academy, which welcomed young people in school years 9 and above who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
“The event offered students the chance to explore local post-school opportunities, including further education courses and employment pathways.
"The continued support of our first team staff and players in the local community makes a real difference, even when the impact isn't always immediately visible. The commitment and energy from the whole team plays a vital role in helping us reach the communities we serve, and it was great to see the buzz and enthusiasm from everyone involved.
"To have someone like Avan, a Luton boy who has walked the path those children aspire to, is brilliant. He continues to be an inspiration and fantastic role model for our young people."
Having seen how some of the Chiltern Academy’s pupils, who include some members of the club’s academy, engaged with the session, Town manager Wilshere added: “Every kid’s journey is very individual, and some will thrive in schools, some will not like school, some will learn a certain way, some will try to learn a different way.
“I think probably not for everyone, but for a lot of people mutual ground is football and we can have conversations about it, we can find different ways of learning. Football is beautiful because, of course, everyone wants to be a footballer and everyone wants to go on that journey, but there are so many opportunities within the game as well, whether you are an analyst, whether you are in finance.
“What football has done – and especially at Luton – all the people I am talking about, the analysts and people in the office, we are one, we are together and it’s a really good environment. If the kids can see that and that inspires them, then we are doing a good job.”
