CHARLIE ADAM has thrown his support behind a Liverpool community project which looks to have wide reaching benefits for the club and city.

The 26-year-old midfielder offered his praise to the Youth Ambassadors Scheme which has been created by the Reds in conjunction with Liverpool City Council.

Targeting 16-19 year-olds in the north of Liverpool, the partnership has given successful candidates the opportunity to act as representatives for the city on matchdays as they greet visiting supporters who are headed for Anfield.

On hand to provide travel information and advice, the Youth Ambassadors are kitted out in full Liverpool training wear and are some of the very first people travelling fans see when they step off the train at Lime Street Station.

Adam was on hand to help officially launch the scheme yesterday at the Red-ucate suite in the Kop and after watching a video of the ambassadors in action, the Scotland international posed for pictures and signed autographs.

Highly impressed with the project, Adam believes a welcoming greet upon arrival from one of the 22 ambassadors can set the tone for an enjoyable time in Liverpool.

“I think it’s a great idea, especially if you come over here for a game there is the opportunity to make a weekend of it,” he said.

“It is a great thing the club is doing and they spend a lot of time and effort working in the community. Hopefully it can pay off for the city.”

The club initially penned the partnership with the Council in September as they looked to help the authority’s drive in providing training and education opportunities within the community.

Youngsters, employed on a part-time basis by the Reds, will receive a programme to help earn a level one qualification from the club’s foundation that will support their future employment prospects.

And following the early success of the programme in action, plans are in place for a further 10 ambassadors to be put in place, with the council keen to extend the scheme to other major events in Liverpool such as the Matthew Street Festival.

In effect for three Liverpool home matches – the games with Brighton and Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal – around 7,000 information leaflets have been distributed by the ambassadors.

It was an idea which came from Euro 2004 when fans were greeted as soon as they stepped off the plane in Portugal.

Council leaders hope Liverpool’s ambassadors can also provide a “smile and warm welcome” to visitors to Merseyside.

Liverpool’s managing director Ian Ayre is delighted with the partnership and says the city’s new representatives will help solve a familiar problem for travelling football fans.

“When you travel to an away game as a Liverpool fan, you get off the train and don’t know where you are going,” he said.

“For many years the city had a reputation for all the wrong reasons but it is a great place to come and enjoy.

“This scheme is great for young people because it can help give them important life skills and confidence for when they go into the big wide world.

“They have to go through interviews to be part of this, go through training and assessments as well. It is great for young people.

“The Football Club can also benefit from this fantastic match-up.”