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Changing LivesChanging Communities

Changing Sport

1. John Downes (National Programme Manager) ManchesterSue Heritage (National Fieldwork Manager) Manchester

2. Edinburgh3. Blackburn4. Newcastle5. Chesterfield6. Birmingham

7. Redruth8. Newport

9. West London

We have regional staff based around the UK to support our projects.

Projects can get involved at any time, if they have young people who are interested in

becoming volunteers.

For more information or to register your project, go towww.streetgames.org and click on “Volunteering” or contact john.downes@streetgames.org orsue.heritage@streetgames.org

For more information about The Co-operative and their Inspiring Young People initiatives, go to www.co-operative.coop/youngpeople. To find out more about The Co-operative and StreetGames working in partnership, contact Alison Hodges, Community Manager alison.hodges@co-operative.coop

your projectinvolved

how to get

This leaflet is made from recycled stock using vegetable based inks.

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At the Co-operative we believe in inspiring young people to change their world for the better. In 2007 we announced a new relationship with the national charity StreetGames to develop a unique volunteering programme - The Co-operative StreetGames Young

Volunteers - to help young people make a difference in their communities and provide them with theskills they need to turn their lives around. Our target was to recruit and train 3,000 young people todevelop their community leadership skills and become sports volunteers by 2012.

I am extremely proud that The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers Programme has been ahuge success; the target of 3,000 young volunteers was met over 6 months early with the young volunteers gaining just over 2,000 qualifications between them. The programme has made a real difference in terms of increased community cohesion, healthier communities and the reduction of anti social behaviour. Further funding from The Co-operative will enable the programme to develop into Scotland and Northern Ireland from 2012.

I would like to say a huge “Well done” to all The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers; your stories have been inspirational. Thank you for being wonderful ambassadors for the programme, forgiving your time and making such a difference in your local communities.

Peter MarksGroup Chief Executive, The Co-operative Group

I am proud to be associated with every one of StreetGames’ programmes and projects,but none gives me a greater feeling of warmth than The Co-operative StreetGamesYoung Volunteers. Taking sport into disadvantaged neighbourhoods and laying on sessions is a worthy practice in itself, but persuading the young people who enjoy those sessions to become Volunteers and join with us in making a difference is an even greater achievement.

It is not just that StreetGames offers its participants the opportunity to give back, it is that so many of our young people do so with such relish and gusto. The training they are given, the communicationand organisational skills they develop through the programme and the responsibility which they embrace ensure that StreetGames’ influence on the more deprived communities of our country isdeep-seated and, crucially, lasting.

Finally, I wish to thank The Co-operative for their continued and committed support of the programme.

Norman TurnerChairman, StreetGames UK

foreword

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introduction

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“StreetGames brings communities togetherand makes sure background or social circumstances aren’t a barrier for youngpeople accessing sport. I’ve met some ofthe young people whose lives have beenchanged by StreetGames. Many are talented. Without StreetGames this talentwould have remained undiscovered.”

Diane ModahlFour times Olympian, Commonwealth gold medallist andChief Ambassador for StreetGames

Changing LivesChanging Communities

Changing Sport

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“”

“A lot of young children don’t get into sport,and those that do tend to drop out as thecommitment to them is not there or thesupport is not strong enough. StreetGamesis helping to change this.”

Amir KhanOlympic silver medallist and WBAWorld super lightweight champion

factIn 2012 the Government announced the development of 1000Doorstep Sport Clubs. These will be led by StreetGames. Youthleadership is a vital component of these sports clubs - CSYVwill be fundamental to their development and sustainability.

Launched in 2007, StreetGames is a network of organisations that deliver sport to young people indisadvantaged communities. The StreetGames network delivers sport at the right time, in the right place, at the right price and in the right style.

The local projects that join the StreetGames Network provide stronger and safer communities, encourage social action and volunteering and improve health and wellbeing. StreetGames supports the projects to Change Lives, Change Communities and Change Sport!

aboutStreetGames

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The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme is ajoint national initiative between The Co-operative and StreetGames. Thescheme supports young people from disadvantaged areas to make themost of their talents and abilities through volunteering at their localStreetGames project.

The CSYV programme has had a significant impact on young peopleover its four year lifetime. By the end of 2011 over 3000 young peoplehad developed their sporting and community leadership skills throughthe programme. These young people, and their local communities, havebenefitted greatly from volunteering. The volunteers are positive rolemodels to other young people, inspiring them to be the best they can be through sport.

The programme has helped to prepare young volunteers from disadvantaged communities for adultlife; giving them confidence, developing their skills, providing practical experience and formal qualifications to ensure they are equipped to enter into further education, training or employment.

The CSYV programme has achieved success through the development of the ‘participant to volunteerpathway’ in doorstep sport projects. This has helped projects to develop their own volunteers, some ofwhich progress to becoming fully trained and qualified members of staff at their own StreetGamesprojects.

The programme has helped to develop the role of The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer fromhelping out at a session to taking a major lead within projects - from leading sessions and supportingfundraising opportunities, to organising events and making important decisions about how the projectshould be delivered.

For CSYV projects the volunteers are recognised as an invaluable resource. They improve the quality ofthe project and its sessions by providing an extra pair of hands, acting as role models, promoting thesessions and much more.

The CSYV programme has given much needed resources to projects including clothing, residentialtraining, and an annual awards scheme celebrating the inspirational work of the young volunteers.

StreetGamesYoung Volunteers

The Co-operative

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The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers are making a positive impact in their communities.Volunteering in their local neighbourhood brings many benefits and projects have found that they:

Give the sessions credibility amongst young people - StreetGames sessions are truly led by local young people

Act as role models - promoting positive behaviour and demonstrate to the other participants that there is a pathway to gaining respect and positive fulfilment

Improve the quality of sessions - the more skilled organisers the better the session

Make it possible for more young people to take part in sport

The programme is also successful in involving young people at risk of engaging in anti-social behaviour or offending, such as young people excluded from education or not in employment or training. The programme is also highly effective at breaking down barriers and bringing differentgroups of young people together who previously would not have jointly participated in activities.

changingcommunities

fact*Young people engaged in volunteering

3989*Figures are as of Spring 2012

fact*Volunteer hours completed

97,492*Figures are as of Spring 2012

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Changing Sport

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project managers’

Lewis BratcherThe Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer of the Year 2011StreetGames Project: Active Opportunities Cardiff

Lewis Bratcher has been volunteering with Active Opportunities in Cardiff since 2009, where he wasreferred to the project by the local youth centre. Having been in trouble with the police previously,Lewis wanted to get his life back on track and give something back to his community.

He developed the award-winning Goodies in Hoodies project with fellow volunteer Maisey Andrews.Goodies in Hoodies was set up by the volunteers to challenge people’s perceptions of young peopleand to reduce the barriers between generations in Cardiff

Lewis is an inspiration to younger members of his community - they can see first-hand how someone can turn their life around. With his help the local leisure centre has become a central hub in the community.

It isn’t only in the form of awards that Lewis’s skills have been recognised as he is now employed as a centre assistant at Fairwater Leisure Centre.

“I started volunteering to get my life back on track and give something back to thecommunity. I want to continue being a good role model to show others what can beachieved. I was thrilled to have even been nominated for The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer of the Year Award but to win was fantastic, I’m veryproud of my achievements.” Lewis says.

viewvolunteers’

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facts*Asked how the local community has benefited from The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers programme,the Project Managers say:

64% - Their project increased community safety 57% - Improved the health of young people in the community57% - Provided positive role models in the community

*Figures are as of Spring 2012

Volunteer: Maisie BanksStreetGames Project: Off The Bench, Lincoln

Maisie was Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) when she joined The Co-operativeStreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme. Volunteering with Off The Bench, Lincoln, Maisiehas found her perfect career path - one which is also to the benefit of the young people in her community.

Maisie quickly found she had the ability to coach young people: “I love volunteering at Off The Benchbecause you get thrown in at the deep end and have to work things out quite quickly. It was a bitdaunting at first but it helped my confidence grow. I like working with young people because you get to learn about them and teach them new skills.”

Her involvement was particularly important for the Off The Bench programme because of the lack offemale volunteers and role models in the area.

Pete Genders, Chief Executive Officer at Off The Bench said: “We have lots of female participants andher fantastic personality has made Maisie a great role model at the sessions.”

The difference The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers programme has made in Maisie’s lifehas been huge. She has developed into a mature and experienced sports coach, and in a short spaceof time Maisie has gone from being on a full time volunteer placement to running the youth centre sheused to help out in providing regular activities for young people.

And Maisie is well aware of the change volunteering can create in a young person’s life: “I think everyone should give volunteering a go, it’s a learning experience and you have nothing to lose but lots to gain.”

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changingThe Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers programme is changing people’s lives

Leon McCollinStreetGames Project: Cricklewood, London

Before getting involved with StreetGames, Leon spent most of his free time hanging around the streetsof his community in Cricklewood. Young people in Cricklewood often found themselves involved incrime and substance misuse, and Leon was in danger of going down that path.

Along with a group of friends, Leon was getting into increasing trouble with the local residents andwas on the verge of receiving a dispersal order from the police.

As a last chance alternative, Leon and his friends were offered the opportunity to work with theStreetGames’ project at Cricklewood Homeless Concern.

Leon became a Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer and has developed into a role model,leader and inspiration to many. He embraced the challenge of organising and running weekly sessions for others and has developed into a role model and an inspirational community leader tomany. Having gained his FA Level 2 Football Coaching qualification, he developed a tournament for the young people he works with to compete in.

“Before I became a volunteer, I didn’t even know that community projects and activities like this existed in Cricklewood. I feel lucky to have been able to make such a big change in my life and will continue to work with other young people to help them achieve positive things for their future.” Leon says.

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lives

Alex HalsteadStreetGames Project: Pendle Leisure Trust Sports Development

Alex Halstead became a Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer through Pendle Sports Development. Alex recognised a problem with access and opportunities for young people and wantedto see more sport available in her local community.

Alex has developed her skills greatly since becoming a Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer.She has gained qualifications such as Emergency First Aid training, and is studying for Dodgeball Level 1 training. These qualifications will allow Alex to take on more responsibility at sessions, and help more young people.

Alex has been instrumental in expanding the sessions on offer and successfully applied for £900 funding to develop a10 week programme of evening multi sportsessions at Pendle Vale Community College for local young people.

“I wanted to try and keep young people off the streets by giving themsomething to do. There’s not a lot of sport to get involved in around thearea and that causes problems. If young people are given something fun to do they won’t be out causing trouble.” Alex says.

fact*Young people progressing in to employment, education or training 64%

Figure based on the number of young people who were NEET before engaging in CSYV.

Changing LivesChanging Communities

Changing Sport

factCo-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers volunteering at 2012 Olympics 45

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A great deal of sport in Britain is sustained by the dedication of volunteers. But only half as many people who grow up in disadvantaged areas get the chance tovolunteer as those young people who grow up in more affluent areas.

In January 2012 the Government announced new investment in doorstep sport, with youth leadership being at the heart of 1000 doorstep sport clubs. This will mark a huge stride forward for youth volunteering and especially for The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer programme. There will be a youth leadership element to Doorstep Sport Clubs and many, if not most, clubs will take advantage of The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer offer.

The CSYV Programme ensures volunteering underpins the development and changes taking place in community sport. To support this, the StreetGames Training Academy provides learning and development opportunities of young people volunteering on the CSYV programme.

The StreetGames Training Academy recognises the importance of young people having access to training & qualifications in order to increase employability and deliver Doorstep Sport to a high standard. From January 2012 StreetGames Young Volunteers have been able to undertake the Level 2 Certificate in the Principles and preparation for Coaching Sport and the Level 2 Award in Multi-SkillDevelopment, both in the context of delivering sport within a Doorstep Sport Club.

The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers are leading the way as high quality multiple sportcoaches essential for growing and changing sport, and also increasing participation of young people in disadvantaged communities.

Gateway Coaching3 hour doorstep sport skills workshops provide knowledge and skills training in various subjects including; Street Rugby, Table Tennis, Basketball, Athletics, Indoor Rowing, StreetTennis and managing and organising events.

changingsport

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Changing Aston Football Club One project’s story

When the Aston Football Club Development project was formed the priority was to increase participation amongst local children and young people. Volunteers began to deliver a Saturday morning session on an astro turf pitch at Aston Park in the heart of the community.

Juned was a member of Aston Football Club and quickly became the project’s Volunteer DevelopmentCo-ordinator when it was set up.

Juned was the key driver to getting the club involved in the CSYV programme as a way of supportinghis young volunteers. The project was able to benefit from additional resources including funding andadvice and support from StreetGames nationally.

As the project started to benefit from its involvement in the CSYV programme, it became clear toJuned that “better volunteers meant better participation.”

The CSYV programme developed volunteers and enabled them to access training and gain qualifications. Juned says, “the project has built up a good track record of working with volunteers - if they support our project, we’ll train them. The project has created leadership opportunities for them,capacity building for local people, creating a volunteering legacy and improving employment opportunities for local young people.”

Juned is committed to supporting volunteers as this was how his career in sport began.

“I started as a volunteer, it led to my job as football development officer for the Birmingham FA, so I want to give our volunteers the same opportunity, I’m alwaysthere to support them.” Juned says

The development of volunteering at the project is continuing to progress. Juned is working alongside his volunteers to hand over the running of the project to them so they can enjoy shaping sport in their own community.

fact*The value of voluntary hours delivered

£478,685*Figure calculated using national minimum wage

fact*Qualifications gained

3474*Figures are as of Spring 2012

fact*Young people living in poverty:

20.6% are coached4% volunteer

*Figures taken from Active People’s Survey 2010

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The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme was established in 2007.Working in partnership with a wide range of organisations, including sports development units,youth services, housing associations, community groups and voluntary sports clubs, The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer programme supports them to engage young peoplein positive volunteering experiences within their local communities.

Every project receives a range of support including training for project staff and volunteers andpractical resources. These have all been carefully designed to enhance the local volunteer programme and help create the best opportunities for the volunteers and participants.

CSYV organises national events for young volunteers from across the UK including an annual 3 dayresidential and a national young volunteers’ conference. Staff managing the national CSYV programmesupport each project to help them ensure they meet the needs and interests of local young people.

What projects like about working with StreetGames

Projects value the expertise provided by staff from StreetGames. They know that they will be givensupport, advice, good ideas and the right resources to help them develop and maintain their volunteering project.

The programme is designed to be flexible, with projects being able to access the necessary elements that suit their individual project needs. There is no pressure to engage in all aspects of the programme!

What projects say about working with StreetGames

“In the first instance, it was their knowledge and support that was available sothat we could structure the programme so that it works both for us and for thevolunteer.”Project Manager - North Tyneside

“I love the ethos - they let me get on with it, but help me when I ask.” Project Manager - Wigan

It’s good talking to people who are experienced.” Project Manager - Newport

why the programme

works

Changing LivesChanging Communities

Changing Sportpage14 ”

““I know from my experience how giving young people the help and support they need to discover theirown talents through leadership and sports coaching skills their lives can be transformed. This givesthem greater choices about changing their own lives. These young people then become some of themost inspirational leaders for the next generation of young people. It is a virtuous circle of engagementand hope.”Andy Reed - Chair, Sport & Recreation Alliance

“Brathay Trust and StreetGames are working together to engage and inspire young people, some ofwhom may be experiencing difficulties in their lives. Our unique partnership supports their personal

and social development, critical awareness, aspirations and life chances through residential programmes and experiential, outdoor activities for StreetGames aspiring young leaders.”

Julie Balshaw - Brathay Trust

“The university of Cumbria is delighted to have forged a working partnership with StreetGames UK, enabling students to gain valuable vocational skills and experiences in delivering ‘doorstep sport’ projects locally. In addition, integrating StreetGames modules into a sports development module - for the first time by a higher education institute - enables students to access first-hand knowledge of a national initiative which is clearly going from strength to strength.”Mark Christie, Senior Lecturer, Sport and Physical Activity Development, University ofCumbria

“A great way to develop leadership skills is through volunteering. StreetGames recognises the value ofempowering young people to lead their local projects and training and supporting them to guide thenational organisation strategically. StreetGames knows that in doing this, they deliver a service that isvalued, relevant and respected by young people. In working with the Young Advisors Charity, young

people from across the country have all been trained and accredited to be National Young Leaders whowork with StreetGames staff to help the organisation continue to reach for excellence.”

Gary Buxton - Chief Executive, Young Advisors Charity

“vInspired is very proud to have worked in partnership with StreetGames and The Co-operative to bring about a programme for young volunteers which has had a profound and lasting impact on somany young people across the country. Those taking part have been empowered through volunteeringand the leadership skills they’ve developed by leading local projects. We are delighted that this programme, which was co-funded by vInspired and The Co-operative, has been so effective and wewish StreetGames every success with continuing the programme for many years to come.”Terry Ryall - Chief Executive, vInspired

“StreetGames have provided fantastic support year after year for the Bupa Great Manchester Run. Theenthusiastic volunteers can be relied upon to help come rain or shine, and the event couldn’t happen

without their support and the support of those like them”Colin Murphy - Nova International

“GwirVol are proud to work in partnership with The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer programme, offering funding, support and advice to projects developing volunteering opportunities foryoung people in their area involved in sport. Since the beginning of the partnership 11 projects havebeen funded through the GwirVol StreetGames grants, aiming to recruit over 150 young volunteers.”Leah Doherty - GwirVol Co-ordinator

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