Derby County in the Community (DCITC) is a not for profit making organisation that acheived charitable trust status in 2008.

The scheme is primarily aimed at creating, developing and delivering opportunities for children and adults to participate in high quality physical activity irrespective of age, gender, ability, ethnicity and social circumstance.

FITC at Derby County was instigated in 1999 through the creation of an unincorporated association between Derby County Football Club and The Footballers Further Education and Vocational Training Society (FFE & VTS).

This association ceased to exist in its current form due to the dissolution of FFE & VTS in November 2007 and is now being managed by Derby County Football Club until such time that charitable trust status is achieved.

The DCITC programme currently delivers a diverse range of activities throughout the county of Derbyshire, engaging with in excess of 30,000 children and adults each year in the core delivery programme.

The scheme has a total of 18 staff that administers and deliver the programme on behalf of the football club.

It also has specific officers in place enabling a focus on the three key areas of social inclusion, women and girls and also disability.

In addition DCITC employs seven full-time staff who are externally funded.

To ensure that the community programme embraces local regional and national agendas it has been vital to access external funding to meet the demands of the changing face of the community it serves.

Over £330,000 has been secured over the past two years from organisations such as The Football Foundation, The Football Association, Derbyshire Sport and UEFA.

DCITC currently operates one of the biggest weekend coaching clubs in the country.

The programme delivered every Saturday and Sunday morning involves 500 children aged between four and 12 in a structured coaching programme.

The weekend club is not only a source of valuable income for but also serves as a useful recruitment tool for the Derby County Football Club Academy.

In 2007 DCITC recorded a turnover of over £450,000 placing it among the bigger schemes in the country.

This income allows the funding of 18 full-time staff and over 30 part-time staff who work to grow and develop the community programme.

It is worthy of note that in 2003 DCITC had just three full-time staff.

The vision for the future is to continually grow the scheme by utilising further funding opportunities that can be accessed through charitable trust status.

FITC has been re-branded as Derby County in the Community (DCITC) and managed by an appointed Head of Community who reports directly into a board of trustees.

The trustees have now been identified and represent key agencies from the business and community sector all with an interest and passion for community work.