A scheme that uses football clubs to help improve people's computer and reading skills has been given a boost.

Brighton and Hove Albion has been given more than £1.7 million from the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund to set up more study support centres.

The first centre was established at the club's Withdean ground at the end of 2002 and has been very successful.

With the help of the grant, the service will now expand with the support of several leading non-league clubs.

Bognor Regis Town, Worthing and Hastings United are the first clubs to sign up.

Each will set up a study support centre in their own area, which will teach computing and other skills, including literacy and numeracy. Careers advice will also be given.

Colleges, including Chichester College, City College Brighton and Sussex Downs, are helping to run the service.

The plan is to cater for 3,000 people during the next three years.

Albion's own centre has already worked with hundreds of people, with many having received a qualification at the end of their course.

The study support centre is part of the curriculum for the Albion Youth Team but several of the first-team squad have also turned up in the past year to expand their skills.

Participating clubs will have the chance to develop their own programme with Albion holding the budget and supplying its knowledge and experience.

The new centres will help boost the clubs' community profile, as they are likely to attract new people to the club who may not be particularly interested in the game.

Staff and players will also be able to expand their knowledge, receive qualifications and improve their working skills.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: "It's very rewarding to see an important part of our overall vision for the club realised in such a positive way.

"It's an outstanding example of the way our club really does change lives and helps people. Now we have the opportunity to extend this work all over Sussex."

Study support centre manager Alan Sanders said: "We established our study support centre at Withdean last season and it has been a real joy to see so many people of all ages benefit from the project.

"We are extremely grateful for the encouragement and support we have received from the Learning and Skills Council.

"This award is a tremendous boost to the whole team, who have worked so hard to make it such a success."

The £1,732,000 grant runs for three years to the end of 2006.