Local Delivery Partners on our Levelling the Playing Field project are showing great agility and ingenuity to continue engaging with participants during England’s second Covid-19 lockdown.
Despite organisations having to postpone face-to-face sports sessions due to the restrictions brought in by the Government on 5th November, many are finding innovative ways to ensure that children remain supported – and they’ve been helped in doing so by the Sport England Tackling Inequalities Funding that the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice secured on their behalf.
Reach Up Youth, our delivery partners in Sheffield, have started a peer mentoring project called ‘Hand In The Hat’ for girls on the Big Brother Burngreave ‘Sisterhood’ programme.
Six young leaders have each been ‘buddied up’ with a vulnerable young person who has either been referred or self-referred. Each participant receives two phone calls a week and one activity, such as quizzes, a walk or cooking.
“It’s not only about supporting the young people, it’s also learning about ourselves,” said Abi, one of the ‘Hand In The Hat’ leaders.
Urban Yogis, our Local Delivery Partners in South London, have launched a ‘Lockdown Support Plan’ which consists of an online timetable of yoga, fitness and movement delivered by staff via Zoom and Instagram Live, as well as one-to-one mentoring (following social distancing guidelines) and online mentoring and gaming for those needing extra support. Urban Yogis were one of the partners who received £7,000 of Tackling Inequalities Funding (TIF) to support delivery through coronavirus.
Director Ben Eckett said: “This funding has opened up more opportunities and enabled us to increase our timetables, so that more young people can access our services. Our programmes are vital for young people’s wellbeing, fitness, mental health, development and diversion from crime.”
Sport 4 Life, one of our delivery partners in the West Midlands, use sport as an engagement tool to guide young people towards sustained education, employment or training. Although, like everyone else, they have had to suspended community sport sessions, they are offering extensive support online, thanks in part to TIF support received through their involvement in Levelling the Playing Field.
Throughout the lockdown, Sport 4 Life are providing online services to help their participants gain employment, including CV reviews, interview coaching, video interviewing practice, qualifications, live Instagram Q&As with industry experts, an online peer forum, workshops and more. In addition, young people can make one-to-one appointments with one of their trained mentors who offer tips and encouragement with mental and physical wellbeing.
Zest, which provides wide-ranging community support in deprived areas of Sheffield, also received TIF support through their involvement with Levelling the Playing Field.
“The Tackling Inequalities funding is brilliant,” said Zest Youth Coordinator, Lloyd Samuels. “It will give much-needed support for the organisation through Covid, enabling us to get sessions on where restrictions allow it and provide a safety net through a really difficult time.”