The Deputy Prime Minister has hailed the vital role that sport, and physical activity can play in “turning young lives around” following the launch of a groundbreaking new fund.

More than 200 grassroots organisations across England and Wales have been awarded funding from the Government’s £5million Youth Justice Sport Fund to run targeted local sports schemes – from climbing to kayaking – aimed at keeping vulnerable young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour. The fund is the first of its kind delivered by the Ministry of Justice and has been co-ordinated by StreetGames and the Alliance of Sport for Criminal Justice, with the support of the Sport for Development Coalition.

Youth crime costs the taxpayer £1.5billion a year and research shows over three quarters of adult prolific offenders received their first caution or conviction as a juvenile, making the need to focus on early prevention even more critical.

Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, Dominic Raab, said: “I know first-hand how powerful sport and mentoring can be in turning young lives around.

“Sport has the power to boost confidence, build resilience and teach discipline, and evidence suggests sports can be effective in reducing offending among young people. That’s why we’re supporting over 200 organisations across England and Wales to encourage more young people to engage with sport and stay away from crime.”

Targeted sport-based interventions can also help to build young people’s resilience, self-confidence, and discipline. Through their programmes Coalition members across the UK are helping to support physical and mental wellbeing, improve educational attainment and increase employability skills, as defined by the #OpenGoal framework.

In November, the Deputy Prime Minister invited sports charities and organisations from across England and Wales to bid for funding, and hundreds applied. Over 200 organisations with a proven record of using sport effectively to reduce crime were awarded funding.

Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Youth Stuart Andrew said: “We believe every young person should get the best start in life. Doing sport is a brilliant way of building focus and discipline while also improving physical health and stopping people becoming involved in crime.

“This funding will help make sure people are set on the right path from the outset.”

The funding is part of the commitment made in the Prisons Strategy White Paper – published in December last year – to cut youth crime and create safer streets.

Stuart Felce, StreetGames Director of Sport and Community Safety, said: “At StreetGames we believe that community sport, delivered in the right way, can have a transformational impact on children’s lives and the communities they live in. We’re really excited to be partnering with the Sport for Development Coalition and the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice to deliver this ambitious new programme from the Ministry of Justice. This investment in sport will support voluntary and community sports organisations to carry out targeted work to enhance positive outcomes for vulnerable children, providing the practical and emotional support they need to grow and helping to keep them and their communities safe.”

Hitesh Patel, Executive Director of the Coalition, added: “Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is a core element of the Coalition’s #OpenGoal framework, which shows how the multiple returns on investment created by sport for development can help to generate significant public cost savings. We are delighted to be working alongside StreetGames and the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice to ensure this new funding supports and strengthens those organisations that can already demonstrate the positive social impact they are having on their local communities.”

Centre Spot have been awarded funding through the Gen22 programme. Gen22 is designed with and for young people who might otherwise struggle to access Games related opportunities often facing barriers including lack of confidence; being a young carer or young parent; or having a criminal record

Following the launch of the Gen22 programme in October 2021, 216 young people have already successfully completed their 30-hour volunteering assignments with their designated assignment providers

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has awarded funding for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games legacy programme Gen 22.

The £100k funding will to help more local organisations across the West Midlands work with young people already engaged in, or at risk of falling into the criminal justice system. This important funding will support local projects so approximately a further 150 young people across the West Midlands communities will be involved.  

Gen22 is designed with and for young people who might otherwise struggle to access Games related opportunities often facing barriers including lack of confidence; being a young carer or young parent; or having a criminal record. 

Following the launch of the Gen22 programme in October 2021, 216 young people have already successfully completed their 30-hour volunteering assignments with their designated assignment providers, through the pilot programme delivered alongside the National Citizenship Service.  

Centre Spot CIC will deliver the Wednesbury Social Action Programme.The funding for this project will allow young people to shape their own social action plans in ways that they believe will be useful for their community, enabling them to think more in depth about what could benefit the areas they live in.

An additional four projects will be funded;

Blue Jay Exchange CIC will be doing a film-making project called Based in Brum: Sparkbrook and Small Heath Heritage Stories. The participants will co-create a short historical film based upon their local area that will capture local residents’ stories of coming to the UK.

The Inspire Group will be doing a project based in Walsall, called Raise for the Games Walsall. This project will be taking place with three main pillars – Inspire Sport, Engaging People and Empowering Communities – in the hopes of giving young people essential life skills to become valuable members of their community.

Sport 4 Life UK’s project – Future Wise – which will enable youth-led social action events in local community areas along with employability workshops and sports activities to improve mental and physical wellbeing.

Sports Key will create a project called Sports Key Future Leaders which will allow young people to lead community sport sessions, providing them with planning and leadership skills.

Nicola Turner MBE, Director of Legacy at Birmingham 2022 said: “It is incredible to see that this programme is already providing benefits and making a difference to young people lives in the region. I would encourage businesses, charities and organisations across various sectors to sign up to support this initiative and help deliver these essential life skills and experiences to 16–24-year-olds, offering them a range of potential career related benefits.” 

Tom McNeil, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, said: “We believe in the potential of all young people across the West Midlands and this funding will allow us to work together to create a meaningful legacy from the Games. We want to work in partnership to help young people build confidence and feel included.”

Centre Spot CIC has been successful in securing funding to provide free holiday clubs programme for children and young people over the school summer break, as part of The Government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) which will be available throughout the region this summer.

Backed by a nationwide investment of up to £220 million, the expanded programme ran initially during Easter in all local areas and is also scheduled for the Christmas holidays in 2021. It will enable children and young people to enjoy fun activities with friends and learn and develop new skills. The local programme which has been launched in Sandwell is targeted at those who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

The holiday clubs will involve helping young people learn new things, enriching activities from sport, nutrition, as well as improving socialisation, helping young people to have fun with friends this summer. The club will also provide a healthy lunch for children.

The Government’s investment in the HAF programme will build on the foundations laid by Sandwell Council, sporting organisations, charities, and the voluntary sector during the successful programme over the Easter holidays. This initiative is running alongside the £200 million funding announced in February to provide summer schools to help pupils who have experienced the most disruption because of the pandemic.