The Government can "move the dial" by diverting funding to working-class communities, football star Rio Ferdinand has said.Ferdinand said it can be difficult for young people to "stay away from trouble" when there is a lack of resource and opportunity.The former Manchester United player established the Rio Ferdinand Foundation in 2012 to promote opportunities for young people to achieve their potential through participation, personal development, training and engagement.The foundation has worked

The Government can "move the dial" by diverting funding to working-class communities, football star Rio Ferdinand has said.Ferdinand said it can be difficult for young people to "stay away from trouble" when there is a lack of resource and opportunity.The former Manchester United player established the Rio Ferdinand Foundation in 2012 to promote opportunities for young people to achieve their potential through participation, personal development, training and engagement.The foundation has worked in Northern Ireland and Ireland since 2016, and in 2022 extended its work through the Beyond The Ball programme in partnership with the International Fund for Ireland to build relationships and youth leadership between England and the island of Ireland.Ferdinand told the PA news agency that the foundation's work filled a gap left in communities through lack of Government funding.