Street Work Soccer Academy was established in 1994 and is the brainchild of Paz Shan, initially in response to the lack of youth and senior football development in the socially deprived areas of Leeds but has since grown to facilitate football inclusion across the Northwest amongst communities that face greater hurdles and challenges to participate in football at higher levels. 

Street Work recognised how difficult it was for young people to further their ambitions in football, due to the absence of any local coaching facilities and support form regional football bodies. Street Works intention was to develop football in a sporting and recreational sphere within the inner-city areas of Leeds and surrounding areas; to offer young people an opportunity to participate in the sport at all levels and standards, within the context of equality of opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, colour, and religion.

The aim was also to engage these young people in sport, not necessarily at a professional level, but to enable them to develop a sense of self-belief, self-discipline and self-worth which can be beneficial to all aspects of their lives.

Paz is passionate about creating opportunities for young footballers to prove themselves within the professional game, aspiring to nurture an environment in which the most promising players could fine-tune their talents, grow their understanding of the game, and ultimately develop into professional footballers. With over 30 years of experience in the field of community youth and sports development and management, Paz’s work is well known across the UK and abroad, having established and delivered various projects in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.