Achievement Through Football
Engaging Young People
The programme engaged with young people from areas of high deprivation by bringing the community together through team building sessions, workshops, counselling, multi-sports and boxing.
Sessions were run by coaches who were able to act a positive role models and offered young people opportunities to gain new leadership and sports coaching qualifications. With a diverse range of residents living on the local estates, tensions often rose between different ethnic and refugee groups. This project helped to support young people from these backgrounds and bridged an important relationship between these communities, whilst building trust, resilience and improving self-esteem.
The ATF programme that has been supported over the years from the Active Essex Foundation and it’s important to recognise the development and life changing outcomes for the young people involved. Not only have the participants improved physically, the life skills and lessons learnt will be carried forward and will help them in achieving their full potential. Many of these young people are at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system, but with the coaches support they have been able to develop their confidence, relationships and ways to manage their emotions and actions towards others in the community.
The successes of the programme have been down to the Foundation working with well-established grass root organisations, who have trusted relationships with the young people and their families on the local estates. With help from the Essex Local Delivery Pilot, the Active Essex Foundation will be replicating this model for delivery of ATF in Basildon. The project proves that by integrating young people from the different estates through sport and activity, helps to break down negative territorial attitudes.
