Tuesday 3 January 2017 16:51, UK
Arsenal Ladies and England midfielder Jordan Nobbs is keen to step up her efforts to promote inclusion and diversity in football.
Nobbs, who was named Vauxhall's England Player of the Year last month, is one of Kick It Out's Next20 ambassadors, alongside fellow Lioness Toni Duggan and men's footballers including Everton striker Romelu Lukaku and Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland.
The Next20 initiative was launched by the Kick It Out campaign in 2013, using 20 young players as role models to help the spread the organisation's core values and help make football a more welcoming environment for all communities.
"I've been privileged to be a part of Kick It Out's work over the last couple of years and I hope there is more I can do to encourage all people to get involved," Nobbs told Sky Sports.
"They play a very important role in encouraging everyone to be a part of sport. Nobody should feel too shy or too scared to be a part of it and elite athletes have a role to play in getting that message across.
"I really enjoy the opportunities I have to go into schools and speak to young people or people with disabilities on behalf of the campaign. Those are great days, and for me, it's a chance to see more of what goes on.
"I feel like the more I keep learning and experiencing, the better I become as a person and the more I can also help get people involved."
Kick It Out have expanded their work across the women's game in recent years and delivered a workshop to players and staff at two-time FA WSL champions Liverpool Ladies at the end of last season.
"A key part of our visits are to raise awareness of what we stand for and the work we do - it's vital we educate the players about what we're trying to achieve," the organisation's Professional Players Engagement Manager Paul Mortimer said.
"We try to organise as many of these sessions as possible with Premier League, English Football League and FA WSL clubs throughout the season. Liverpool FC are receptive to accommodating these sessions and we've been to visit the club for the last few years."
Liverpool Ladies boss, Scott Rogers, added: "Kick It Out go up and down the country doing workshops at professional clubs and we were delighted they did one with our players recently.
"We were also pleased to support them by wearing T-shirts ahead of our last game of the season against Arsenal. We have lots of players of different nationalities and I thought it was very important for us to support that.
"We as a club fully support Kick It Out and understand the importance of raising awareness of all forms of discrimination - not just in football, but in life in general."