Simon Mignolet returned to IntoUniversity North Liverpool to help celebrate its first birthday.
The Liverpool goalkeeper was at last year’s launch of the centre which was set up to help young people from the local area pursue ambitions of going to university.
Based in Anfield, the centre is a collaboration between educational charity IntoUniversity and both the LFC Foundation and University of Liverpool.
It works with supporting students from ages 7 to 18 through a range of projects including after-school help with homework and one-to-one student mentoring.
Over 1,100 local children have already used the centre’s resources and Mignolet, who has a degree in political science, is encouraged by the progress made.
“It’s brilliant to see that the programme is working for the children. You already see them growing in confidence,” he told Click Liverpool.
“They’re already thinking about what they can do with their future after their education. I know how important it is to get a good level of education. I’ve had it myself back in Belgium but not everybody gets the same chance.
“It’s very important for everybody to get a good basis and to learn as much as they can.
“I think the Foundation and everybody involved does a brilliant job in giving each child a chance to develop themselves.
“That’s why I’m here and like to support these kinds of things because they’re the future and that’s what we can help them with.”
For more information about IntoUniversity North Liverpool, visit intouniversity.org/intouniversity-north-liverpool