IMPACT REPORT 2008-2014
Barclays Introduction
Cricket Foundation Welcome
When we set out on this journey with the Cricket Foundation and the other founding partners of StreetChance in 2008, we were looking to build on the work of the Barclays Spaces for Sports programme. Through that programme we established 200 community sports facilities across areas of the UK where they were most needed. Since 2004, Barclays has invested over £40m in sports facilities and community sports programmes. By working with partners who are experts in harnessing the positive values of sport, we’ve been able to help so many young people fulfil their ambitions and create sustainable resources for local communities. Our broader 5 Million Young Futures commitment is helping millions of young people around the world gain access to enterprise, employability or financial skills, so we know that programmes like StreetChance can be incredibly empowering. In its first three years, StreetChance was successful in engaging and educating young people in London, helping them channel their energy into positive activity whilst bringing them together in a safe environment away from negative influences such as local gangs. Based on this success, we renewed our partnership with the Cricket Foundation in 2011 to build further impact in communities across six other cities that are home to Barclays Spaces for Sports sites. We were particularly keen for StreetChance to offer more training opportunities and life skills for young people coming through the programme, and to encourage more young women and girls to take part. In 2014, the proportion of girls is now four times what it was in 2011. Furthermore, over half of the coaches working on the programme today have benefitted from some form of accredited training that will support them in their future careers. We are delighted that six years of investment has placed StreetChance in such a strong position, benefitting thousands in underprivileged communities across the country. With so many young coaches acting as role models to the next generation in their community, we have every confidence that the programme will continue to go from strength to strength in its next chapter.
When we first entered into an exciting partnership with Barclays in 2008 to establish StreetChance, we hoped it would provide a solution to the problem of delivering cricket in inner-city areas. Our Chance to Shine programme had made significant progress in getting cricket back into state schools and providing routes to local clubs, but this was more difficult to achieve in London and other cities where there are fewer clubs and green spaces to play. StreetChance enabled us to take cricket to urban communities, initially delivering in state schools and providing pathways to new, informal community clubs made easily accessible to young people. The fastpaced version of the game tailored to community venues and the lack of equipment required made the game more accessible to those new to the game, making cricket a viable option for young people across London and later across six other cities. Six years on, we are delighted through our partnership with Barclays to have reached more than 38,000 young people in inner-cities, with more than 6,000 choosing to join our community clubs in their own time. These young people have received weekly coaching and have taken part in holiday competitions all year round. With 85% not already playing at clubs, it is clear that StreetChance is taking cricket to new people in new areas. Chance to Shine has always used cricket as a tool to educate young people, and this ethos has also been integral to our work with StreetChance. Helping to educate young people in communities around issues such as the dangers of drugs, gangs and gun and knife crime has helped us to have a positive social impact in areas where we work. Thousands of young people have attended educational workshops across the country at local community sessions, helping them to enjoy their cricket and stay safe in and out of sessions. Our partnership with Barclays has helped us reach thousands of young people and have a real impact on their lives and the communities where they live, as demonstrated throughout this report. Our challenge now is to use what we have learnt and the platform this has given us to reach many more young people and many more communities in the years to come.
David Wheldon Head of Brand, Reputation, Citizenship and Marketing, Barclays
Wasim Khan MBE, Chief Executive, Cricket Foundation
Contents 4 StreetChance reach and impact 2
6
11
14
Social Impact
Engaging girls in inner-city areas
Life Skills and Employability
20 Cricket development in inner-city areas 3
& S L L I K S E F I L Y T I L I B A Y O EMPL 308
REACH & IMPACT 014 2008-2 StreetChance was established in London in 2008 with the aim of using cricket to engage young people from a range of backgrounds in areas affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour. It was a partnership between the Cricket Foundation, Barclays, Cricket for Change, the Metropolitan Police Service and Positive Futures. In 2011, the Cricket Foundation and Barclays entered a new partnership to expand the programme nationally to six further cities over three years. In 2012, Sport England awarded StreetChance a lottery grant and partnered with the Cricket Foundation and Barclays to help extended the reach of StreetChance to young adults aged 16-24 in the communities where StreetChance was already operating.
Reached
38,261 participants across schools and communities in socially deprived areas across seven cities
2008: Started with 10 youth projects across 10 London boroughs
2014: Delivering 55 youth projects (ages
eight-16) and 27 young adults projects (ages 16-24) across seven cities including 22 London boroughs
6,402 young people have attended weekly community sessions in their local area
183 local and inner-city youth competitions have taken place
106 SOCIAL IMPACT
2,816
young people have attended educational workshops covering topics such as drugs awareness; the dangers of gangs, guns and knives; and sexual health 4
young leaders and 164 young coaches have received funded training and undertaken accredited training courses
young adults competition and league days have taken place across six cities with 66 teams taking part
ENGAGING GIRLS IN TY INNER-CI AREAS
6,332 711 girls have been engaged through school and community sessions
have attended regular weekly sessions in their local community and taken part in holiday competitions
60% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 have benefited from some form of accredited coach education training and mentoring funded through their involvement in the programme
50% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 volunteered their time assisting coaches before becoming paid coaches themselves
40% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 were participants before training as coaches
CRICKET N I T N E M P O L DEVE S A E R A Y T I C INNER
5,742
participants have attended weekly youth community projects, of which:
5% of all participants were female in 2011. 21% of participants were female in 2014
93% of young people surveyed agreed that StreetChance had a positive impact on their life
93% of girls attending regular weekly sessions in the local community were not members of traditional cricket clubs when they joined StreetChance
85% were not members of traditional cricket clubs when they joined StreetChance
69% were from black and minority ethnic backgrounds – 47% are from South Asian backgrounds and 16% from Black Caribbean or Black African backgrounds 5
Attitudes in areas where StreetChance operates More than 400 participants aged 8-16 were surveyed from 21 projects nationally, answering questions around their attitude towards crime and anti-social behaviour. Of these 21 projects: • 15 projects out of 21 are in the most deprived 20% of 32,482 local areas in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and 10 are in the most deprived 10% • In terms of IMD crime ranking, 14 were in the worst 25% for crime and seven were in the worst 10%
T C A P M I L SOCIA 2,816 young people have attended educational workshops covering topics such as drugs awareness, the dangers of gangs, guns and knives, and sexual health
93% of young people surveyed agreed that StreetChance had a positive impact on their life
More than just a game The aims and objectives of StreetChance since the start have been about more than just cricket. Established in 2008 as a partnership between Barclays, the Cricket Foundation, the Metropolitan Police Service, Cricket for Change and Positive Futures, all the founding partners were committed to using cricket as a tool for social change. One of the principal aims of StreetChance is to use cricket as a diversionary activity that engages young people in communities affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour. Research involving a survey of participants carried out by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), a consultancy working with charities to help them achieve the greatest impact, highlights the challenges of working with young people in the areas 6
StreetChance targets and outlines the areas where impact can be most significant.
NPC found that across these projects the attitudes of participants highlighted a small but significant group who are at risk of committing crime and antisocial behaviour. Looking at the attitudes of young people aged from 8-12 and 12-16, NPC found that: • 10% of respondents aged 8-11 felt that young people who are involved in gangs were “just like me” or “quite like me” • 23% of respondents aged 12-16 felt that young people who are involved in gangs were “just like me” or “quite like me” • 6% of all 12-18 year old respondents said that they were “just like” young people who were planning to offend in the near future. If young people who said they are “quite like” or “a bit like” young people planning to offend in the near future are included, the figure rises to 34% NPC found that the literature on crime and anti-social behaviour shows that close and frequent association with gangs and crime is a major factor that influences people’s own anti-social attitudes and ultimately their behaviour They outlined three ways in which StreetChance can reduce crime and anti-social behaviour: Firstly, by providing diversionary activities it can reduce the likelihood that young people will offend simply by reducing the opportunity for such behaviour. Secondly, StreetChance can provide a safe haven for the majority of children and young people who hold generally positive social attitudes, thereby reducing the risk that any of them will get involved in crime and anti-social behaviour over time. Many participants choose not to get involved with gangs and StreetChance helps them with that choice. Thirdly, the 10-20% of children and young people who have the more anti-social attitudes and are most at risk of offending are exposed to new relationships with people outside their normal network of peers inclined towards offending, and the more at-risk young people may be positively influenced by this majority ‘pro-social’ group. Examples of this can be found in the next few pages.
“It was evident that over time the social work aspect of the coaches’ job had become very successful in engaging young people with pertinent issues facing them in their private lives, particularly questions about school attendance, future employment and concerns over drug use.” 2010 Institute of Youth Sport evaluation
Evidence of Social Impact Some successes in the areas outlined by NPC where StreetChance can reduce crime and antisocial behaviour have been picked up in annual independent evaluations carried out by the Institute of Youth Sport, at the University of Loughborough. The importance of diversionary activities was highlighted in the 2009 evaluation as researchers reported how ‘a number of the young people spoken to discussed how the sessions provided a diversionary activity and prevented them from ‘hanging about’ streets and getting bored at home.’ One participant said “every week we play and enjoy ourselves so we are not walking on the streets or hanging around.” The 2010 evaluation highlighted how one London project provided diversionary activities and a safe haven from the local gang culture, quoting a coach who explained “there’s a big gang culture on the estate and young people might be getting attracted to violence and crime, so StreetChance is a good thing for them to be involved in since most of the time they get pushed away from society a bit. One of the older guys from the estate who gets involved now and then said that if something 7
SOCIAL IMPACT
Case Study:
Ahwais Khan, Birmingham As well as providing diversionary activity and offering save havens for the ‘pro-social’ majority of participants, NPC outlined the potential for reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour by ensuring at-risk young people are positively influenced by the majority prosocial group. There are many instances of StreetChance having this kind of impact, and one example is Ahwais Khan from the Saltley project in Birmingham. Ahwais joined StreetChance as a 12 year-old when the Saltley project in east Birmingham became one of the first pilot projects outside London in 2010. By his own admission, Ahwais was a handful for the coaches, with a negative attitude reflective of the bad crowd he was involved with: “I was disturbing lessons and getting loads of detentions. I had a couple of fights when I had just had enough, and just had a really negative performance at school. It definitely affected my grades. Outside school I was mixing with the wrong crowd.” His coach Khalid Sadiq acknowledges that “initially Ahwais had a bad attitude and was arrogant and mixing with the wrong crowd of youngsters who were on the verge of crime.” However, he also saw a naturally talented cricketer with great leadership potential, and felt that if they could get him to buy into the ethos of StreetChance they could steer him away from the negative influences in school and on the streets. like this had been around when he was growing up he wouldn’t have got involved in gangs.” The 2010 Loughborough Report picked up on how the safe haven StreetChance provided allowed coaches to help educate young people exposed to drugs to help them make positive life choices: “it was evident that over time the social work aspect of the coaches’ job had become very successful in engaging young people with pertinent issues facing them in their private lives, particularly questions about school attendance, future employment and concerns over drug use.” One coach told researchers of such an experience: “It’s taken nearly two years for them to open up and talk about issues. And now they’ve got someone else that they feel they can go to, who’s not going to go and grass them up, who’s going to help them out.” The concept of safe havens was picked up by researchers again in the 2013 evaluation, when a coach in Bristol stressed the importance of their role in keeping young people engaged: “we do make it enjoyable and we give them the power to decide what kind of game they want to play, and we sort of assist them and keep them involved in cricket you know, keeping them away from all the negative influences.” 8
“Now I see my old friends just hanging around on the streets. Some have got in trouble with the police for knife crime. If I hadn’t got involved in StreetChance, that would definitely be me.” Ahwais Khan, 16 year old participant at Saltley, Birmingham
Ahwais was playing no structured cricket at all and StreetChance appealed to him as an accessible way to improve his skills: “I just wanted to be able to practice and get better because my brother is really good at it.” His coach Khalid believes this allowed him to channel his energy in the right direction, stating “StreetChance has given him a different focus and he has come a tremendous way in not only gaining respect from his team mates, but also in learning to appreciate and show respect towards them.” Ahwais is particularly proud of making the school team every year since he started StreetChance and has even become captain, something he attributes directly to the programme: “I would have never, ever got near that team if I hadn’t done StreetChance. It’s given me loads of confidence and responsibility. I’ve matured a lot from it.”
His behavioural improvement through StreetChance has acted as a catalyst for improved behaviour and educational performance in school too. Ahwais clearly appreciates the link, saying “StreetChance has shown me the right direction. I’ve been on the right path for a couple of years now, improving my behaviour, improving my grades. At the moment I’m passing all my exams. I’ve not had one detention all year.” His coach Khalid has been impressed more than anything by how Ahwais looks out for younger participants who remind him of his younger self, noting how ‘he has developed leadership qualities and is always offering guidance based on first-hand experience for anyone he thinks might be getting involved with the wrong crowd.’ Ahwais acknowledges his new status as a role model for younger participants, saying “I just don’t want anyone to get in as much trouble as me when I was younger, and I know StreetChance can help them improve from where they are at the moment.” Looking to the future, Ahwais is staying at school to take A Levels and dreams of a job working in motor vehicle engineering. Looking at the group of people he used to associate with on the streets, he appreciates that things could have turned out differently. “I just broke away from all those guys on my own. I just thought, ‘these are the wrong people, the wrong friends.’ Now I see them just hanging around on the streets. Some have got in trouble with the police for knife crime. If I hadn’t got involved in StreetChance, that would definitely be me.” 9
SOCIAL IMPACT
N I S L R I G ENGAGINGY AREAS T I C R E N IN
Educating through cricket Engaging young people in areas affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour, StreetChance projects have used the opportunity, aided by the strong rapport developed between coaches and participants, to educate young people around issues such as the dangers of gangs, guns and knives and the negative impact of drug abuse. In total, 2,816 young people have attended workshops addressing a range of issues, all delivered as part of weekly sessions and holiday competitions. Participants benefit from the knowledge and experience of a range of educators from regional police forces and charities as well as individuals with relevant life experiences. • 1,191 young people have attended various workshops on the dangers of drugs delivered in multiple cities by reformed addict Paul Hannaford as well as trained staff from West Yorkshire Police in Dewsbury and Bristol Drugs Project in Bristol • 172 young people have attended workshops on the dangers of gangs, guns and knives 10
6,332
711
girls have been engaged through school and community sessions
have attended regular weekly sessions in their local community and taken part in holiday competitions
5% of all participants were female in 2011. 21% of participants were female in 2014
93% of girls attending regular weekly sessions in the local community do not play at traditional cricket clubs
Increasing provision delivered by police officers in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Dewsbury • 123 young people have received financial literacy guidance from Barclays staff in London, Birmingham and Hull Young people have shown an appreciation for both the educational information and the very fact that StreetChance looks to support them beyond just playing cricket. One participant, following the West Midland Police workshop in 2013, told researchers from Institute of Youth Sport “the majority of the people that we’re attracting at the moment at StreetChance have been through, say, some troubles … and then to educate them about knife crime and gun crime is brilliant, that’s how they should do it because some cricketing organisations are just doing cricket, cricket, cricket, but at StreetChance they’re giving you say education about life outside cricket, and life on the streets and how to look after yourself, so it’s good.”
When StreetChance first developed 10 projects in 2008, they were openly accessible to boys and girls within the community. The reality was that few girls attended projects, as only 5% of participants in community projects were female for the first two years. In 2010 it was recognised that there was a need to provide specialist projects specifically targeting girls, providing an environment and a style of coaching that was appealing enough to attract female participants and keep them engaged. Cricket for Change developed the first two girls’ projects in Sutton and Croydon, led by female coach Beth Evans, aimed at addressing the lack of girls engaged through StreetChance projects in London. As StreetChance expanded nationally in 2011, projects again attracted mostly male participants in new cities. From 2013, efforts were made to develop more
specialist girls’ projects in cities outside London, ensuring that in every city where StreetChance operates girls from inner-city areas had the chance to play cricket. By 2014 the increase in provision was paying dividends with 14 of 55 youth projects delivered specifically targeting girls, and 21% of all StreetChance community participants in the year from April 2013 to March 2014 were female. The establishment of girls’ projects outside London made it possible to hold the first girls’ inter-city tournament in February 2014, with girls from Manchester and Bristol travelling to London. 11
ENGAGING GIRLS IN INNER-CITY AREAS
Case Study:
Making cricket accessible to girls With only 7% of girls engaged in community projects having played at a cricket club, StreetChance is changing perceptions and making the game more accessible to girls in inner-city areas. The 2013 Institute of Youth Sport evaluation highlighted that girls did not feel that cricket was not for them. One London coach said “their opinion of cricket is somewhat different to what it could actually be. It was mostly seen as a male sport, so for girls to take part I think that was a big barrier.” The report found that StreetChance was having an impact in changing such perceptions: “StreetChance plays a key role in showing young girls that cricket isn’t just played by boys.” In particular, the report highlighted how “the Manchester StreetChance girls’ project provided a comfortable environment for girls to acquire the necessary skills and abilities to feel confident and less ‘uneasy’ about playing in competitive matches.” Marianne Lea, from the Sutton project, highlighted the importance of the ‘welcoming and social atmosphere,’ stating “We were able to chat and be social, which is so important to the girls to keep them coming and give them something that they want to do. As a group we were not what you would call ‘cricketers’ to begin with, but our sessions with Beth allowed us to come together and form a group of friends and start to enjoy the game together.” Pete Lamb, coach of the Bristol girls’ project, found that the informal, fun nature of StreetChance attracted girls, explaining “they’re the sporty girls in the school, but they’ve not done cricket before. It was a real struggle at first but now they’ve given it a go and really got into it. The relaxed nature of sessions seems to suit the girls well.”
Teaching life skills In addition to giving girls the opportunity to participate in cricket and enjoy the game, many girls’ projects have had a notable social impact too, with girls making new friends and learning life skills. One year into the first girls’ project in 2011, coach Beth Evans explained that her project in Sutton had helped to break down barriers between girls from different social groups at school. She explained “some of them are now friends with girls they would never normally even speak to at school, and they all take great interest in each other’s lives inside and outside of the club. This is a group of young girls from different cultures and backgrounds bonding together.” 12
East London Girls The East London Girls project launched in 2013 in Wanstead, partnering with Essex County Cricket Board to target girls in Redbridge that weren’t being reached through traditional routes. Hannah Newman and Saba Nasim, newly qualified coaches local to the area, worked hard to introduce cricket to girls by delivering taster sessions in 18 local schools and community centres, promoting StreetChance to get new girls interested in the game. An open day put on to promote the project during the summer holidays proved the catalyst the project needed to take off. A good number of enthusiastic girls became the regular core of participants who would turn up every week, spurred on by the prospect of attending their first interborough girls’ competition in the October half-term. Sixteen year old Hajarah Chaudhry was rewarded with the captaincy for enthusiastically enlisting so many newcomers to the session, leading a team of girls who were playing competitive cricket for the first time. Despite the relatively experienced opposition, it was the East London girls, newly named the ‘Redbridge Rangers’, who came out winners. Beth’s girls’ session in Croydon has had similarly cohesive effects. One participant, Jeanette Vasu, said in 2012 that “StreetChance helps me improve my cricket skills and it has made me a more sociable person,” whilst another, Daniella Akinosho, agreed, noting that “it helps us to have something to do and it teaches us different life skills.” Bristol coach Peter Lamb has found that girls are learning more than just how to bat and bowl through StreetChance. At the first inter-city girls’ competition in February 2014, Pete found that despite losing games to more experienced teams his girls still took a lot out of the day: “They learnt an awful lot about the game, themselves and each other.” One of his team agreed that playing as a team had helped them in different ways, insisting that “gelling together as a team has improved our social skills and has allowed us to become better in more sports, as well as making better friends at school.”
“When I joined StreetChance I never anticipated getting so much out of it. Aside from the cricket Saba and Hannah were incredibly helpful in all aspects of life, helping me with revision and sixth form applications and listening to me when I needed someone to talk to. They've become my friends!” Hajarah Chaudhry, 16 year old participant
This was just reward for the consistent attendance and hard work in training, and played a huge role in strengthening the bonds growing between the girls. As Hannah Newman commented “the standard of the girls came on very quickly. The vast majority had never played cricket before, and certainly never as a group. They came together with enthusiasm and willingness at the competition and never looked back.” With a settled group, Hannah and Saba were able to complement the coaching with formal training and
workshops teaching broader life skills. A First Aid course covered primary and secondary responses to emergencies, resuscitation and dealing with common sporting injuries, and Hannah was impressed with their willingness to learn. “It provided them with the skills to deal not just with cricket injuries, but also the crucial first aid and resuscitation skills for the real world in any situation. The girls’ engagement was brilliant.”
“They are the two most giving people I have known. They organise events and look after the children as their own. Their coaching is world class. My daughter’s confidence has been enhanced by Hannah and Saba. I owe them a lot.” Parent of an East London participant
Team GB Olympic Hockey player Chloe Rogers attended another session, giving a talk on dedication and tips for coping with competition and proving the worth of her wisdom with the bronze medal she won at the London 2012 Olympics. The advice was eagerly taken aboard, with Redbridge Rangers winning their second tournament shortly after. Essex County Cricket Board delivered a Coach Support Workers course, helping some of the girls to extend their knowledge of the game and teaching them the basics of coaching cricket to others. These girls went on to implement the newfound skills by leading warm ups and cool downs, as well as helping supporting the coaches throughout sessions. Essex’s Women and Girls Development Manager Dave Letch found the experience ground-breaking, noting “this was a new community we were working with and a group that we have not done training with before.” Dave paid tribute to Saba for lending support and cultural awareness, helping to fit prayer breaks into the schedule for the Muslim girls. As well as the girls, the newly qualified coaches have found the experience hugely beneficial for their personal development. Hannah noted “I was quite quiet at first but cricket is my passion and leading on the project allowed me to develop my skills as a coach and as an individual.” Furthermore, Hannah has found that their life experience has been hugely important in helping girls beyond just coaching. “One of the most rewarding aspects of the project has been the support we have been able to give to the participants, not just in cricket but also their education and career plans. Our own backgrounds really help with this, and we regularly get asked questions about exams, coursework and school. Being able to share knowledge and build a rapport with the girls has been excellent, and I like to think I have contributed to their development in some way.” 13
through the programme emphasises the value of the opportunities available through StreetChance. • 40% of coaches trained said that after leaving education they did not know what to do for work • 41% of newly trained coaches who were surveyed said that StreetChance provided them with their first paid job
Y T I L I B A Y O L P M E & S L LIFE SKIL 308 young leaders and 164 young coaches have received funded training and undertaken accredited training courses
60% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 have benefited from some form of accredited coach education training and mentoring funded through their involvement in the programme
Training participants Another of the core objectives of StreetChance is to work towards positive outcomes for young people with participation leading to training, volunteering and secured employment. Teaching young people life skills that can support them beyond the game of cricket, whether that be in continued education or future employment, is integral to the impact StreetChance has on young people and communities where projects are delivered. Identifying and nurturing talented young leaders who may not necessarily excel in other, more academic areas, and offering them opportunities to undertake coach education courses and develop a range of life skills has been found to have a significant impact on the future of young people. Few young people join the project thinking about their future career, but their passion for the game enables them to showcase a whole 14
50% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 volunteer their time assisting coaches before becoming paid coaches themselves
40% of the 80 coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 were participants before training as coaches
range of natural attributes that coaches can recognise and harness. Training offered through StreetChance and experience working on the project mentored by coaches enables further skills development that can open up opportunities within coaching and beyond. This route from participation to training has been well-trodden: 40% of coaches working on StreetChance in 2014 were at some point participants, and 50% volunteered to gain experience before becoming paid coaches. Mahbubul Alam a former participant now working full-time for Surrey Cricket Board has been on this journey: “I found solace at StreetChance as a participant in Tower Hamlets. My commitment and leadership amongst my peers stood out and my lead coach at the time, Shahidul ‘Ratan’ Alam, harnessed these skills by encouraging me to volunteer and undertake coaching courses. Whilst doing this I built vital experience, I feel I discovered my potential and was later offered the opportunity to work as a community coach.” Furthermore, this can help raise aspirations in the communities where StreetChance operates, providing positive role models that have a knock-on effect on the next generation of young people locally. Shakeel Ahmed, a young coach from Tower Hamlets who qualified as a lead coach two years ago, recognises this effect in the area where he grew up, stating “At first we didn’t think about it as really important, but later we realised the impact we had on young people, and the importance of having young coaches as role models in the community. Before us there was just our coach Ratan and nobody else, but now there’s loads of young people coming through as coaches.”
“I’d been looking for a job for months, and I didn’t know where it was going to come from. Being part of StreetChance has been a lifeline, it’s been a huge help in financially difficult times and without it, I don’t know where I’d be.” Sarfraz Ali, former StreetChance Coach in Birmingham now in full-time employment
Sarfraz Ali, a passionate cricketer from Sparkhill in Birmingham, has moved on from coaching into other full-time work, but recognises that StreetChance helped him make the first step towards regular employment when he was able to access training and fulfil a part-time coaching role. “I’d been looking for a job for months, and I didn’t know where it was going to come from. Being part of StreetChance has been a lifeline, it’s been a huge help in financially difficult times and without it, I don’t know where I’d be. Desperate times lead to desperate measures, and I’m just so glad I got this chance so I never got to that stage.” Aasim Aziz, community coach for Warwickshire Cricket Board, says that StreetChance has helped him make the first step in what he hopes will be a life-long career coaching and working with young people in Birmingham, stating that “through hands-on work experience, StreetChance provided me with a wonderful opportunity to experience working with kids and confirmed that this was the right field for me.”
Pathway to Employment At a time of limited job opportunities and myriad educational options for young people, the programme has provided a number of former participants and volunteers with employment for the first time and a viable career option. A survey of existing coaches who had benefitted from some form of training 15
LIFE SKILLS & EMPLOYABILITY
More Confidence, More Experience & More Income A key theme amongst those who have benefitted from training through StreetChance is the marked increase in confidence and the realisation of potential, both in terms of personal development and earning capacity. A familiar but challenging environment, relationships with established role models and regular ‘hands-on’ opportunities are all stated factors in the development of young people. • 72% said that more that training and work experience is helping them realise career plans • 91% said they feel more confident in what they can achieve in their career having undertaken training through StreetChance • 95% said they feel more confident in what they can achieve in their career due to the experience of working on StreetChance Rehaan Rather, a community coach at Lancashire Cricket Board who has gained a full-time job from the programme said “StreetChance has given me so much more than just training. It has helped me with important life skills such as dealing with young people, parents, organisations, and professionals. You cannot receive training for these skills and they have proved quite valuable to me. The training has made me a better person,
Fulfilling Careers For some, StreetChance has been the first step on the ladder, whilst for others it has provided an opportunity to move from an unfulfilling job into a career that requires professional skills and greater job satisfaction. • Prior to working on StreetChance, 40% of newly trained coaches who were surveyed were working in a job that they did not enjoy Manish Patel initially helped the lead coach at community sessions in East London as a volunteer, and found StreetChance a much more rewarding experience than his paid job. Manish explains “my hours contributing on the project were supplemented by paid work as a barista in a coffee shop, which I did not particularly enjoy and this was particularly frustrating for me.” The experience and training has put him on a much more gratifying path: “With lots of experience in engaging with a diverse group of kid’s week in, week out I was able to 16
gain my Level 2 coaching badge and subsequent employment as a coach, and this would not have been done without the help of StreetChance.” The rewarding element of coaching on the project cannot be underestimated. With an opportunity to work regularly at sessions with the participants, Aasim Aziz feels that the tangible outcomes associated with his coaching make his work worthwhile and particularly satisfying: “Having an impact on the lives of numerous kids is greatly rewarding.” Ralph Hardwick, Coach at Gloucestershire Cricket Board working on StreetChance in Bristol agrees, appreciating that the very nature of the participants and the areas where the programme operates provides a stimulating environment to work in, noting “the main thing StreetChance has helped me with is being able to work with different people from different backgrounds all in one place. I'm now in my second year as a full time community coach and still, some of my most challenging yet rewarding sessions come through StreetChance.”
more confident in my own ability and with greater passion to succeed. I now have higher ambitions and more will to succeed further in coaching.” Ram Tanna, now Assistant Accountant at Brentford FC’s Community Sports Trust, says “since the training provided by StreetChance, I am one of the highest qualified and most experienced cricket coaches at the organisation. I became more confident, learnt new skills and was able to make new friends. I have been able to kick-start my career and used the skills to progress not only in a coaching environment but on a professional level in my role as an accountant with the Community Sports Trust.” With a clear pathway to progress, young people are able to map out their own direction aided and mentored by those who have succeeded before them. Now embedded within a network of delivery through County Cricket Boards, those who have trained and qualified through the StreetChance programme are also able to access job opportunities across cricket and, more extensively, sport and education. Pete Lamb, who works on Bristol projects with Gloucestershire Cricket Board, has found his training and experience valuable beyond just his work on StreetChance itself: “the training has given me a great opportunity to develop my skills as a coach. StreetChance projects have given me an insight into grassroots sport and looking into ways of making sport fun, enjoyable and accessible as possible. 17
Case Study:
Shakeel Ahmed, London
It has been handy in other sports as well as in other cricket sessions. I am looking to do more work within cricket over different projects and both the training and StreetChance projects I've been involved in.”
“I remember choosing cricket and attending in the first place and having occasional tantrums! I am now different: mature, confident, employable. I have learnt through StreetChance and the support I have had that you have to understand someone’s personality to enable them to trust you and build a rapport. I intend to do this as I progress throughout my career.” Marianne Lea, 17 year old trainee coach, London
Marianne Lea, a 17 year old participant in Sutton, has undertaken training and been mentored by her coach and feels this has given her excellent preparation for university, insisting “my volunteering and work experience has really helped distinguish myself, and I have been able to draw upon my experiences in my personal statement and applications. A lot of what I have learnt cannot be taught, and I have been so fortunate to have 18
hands-on responsibility with flexible hours whilst studying.” Furthermore, working with her coach has helped her determine her career plans, as she explains “a career working in education and with children is what I want to pursue, and the aim is to become a primary school teacher.” The increased confidence and greater experience has also translated into greater earning capacity for many, with the continuous growth in experience and knowledge enabling career progression both on StreetChance and with other employers. • 86% of coaches agree that the training they have received has helped them increase what they can earn • 60% say they have a more senior role and earn more money in 2014 than they did when they first started working as a StreetChance coach • 78% have achieved further employment outside the programme using training and experience since starting work as a coach on StreetChance Rehaan Rather, StreetChance Coach of the Year in 2013, has been one of the most notable examples of progression as a coach through the programme, explaining that “through StreetChance, I have won prestigious coaching awards, which have led to me being recognised and head-hunted for alternative coaching roles outside of StreetChance.”
Shakeel has been involved in StreetChance for six years since a project started at his school, Stepney Green Maths & Computing College in Tower Hamlets. Before Shakeel became engaged, he admits that his lack of focus led to him hanging around with a bad crowd and channelling his energy in the wrong ways: “Before StreetChance I wasn’t thinking too much about the future. I wasn’t involved in cricket before it came to my school and I was getting in trouble because I wasn’t involved in anything.” Cricket helped Shakeel to move away from negative influences, and once he turned 16 his coach encouraged him to undertake StreetChancefunded coach education courses having identified his natural leadership qualities. After completing his Level 1 Assistant Coach course Shakeel started work as a paid assistant coach in Tower Hamlets’ schools and communities. Whilst at College, Shakeel passed the Level 2 Lead Coach course, enabling him to coach on his own in schools and take more responsibility at StreetChance sessions. Shakeel was always keen to go to university, and when he started a Finance and Accounting course, he was surprised how much the life skills and confidence he gained through StreetChance helped him with his studies. “I realised how much benefit I got from StreetChance, because the skills I picked up really paid off. You don’t realise you’re doing it, but through coaching you learn so much in terms of organising, communicating, confidence - especially from doing sessions in front of loads of people – which all helped with my presentation skills. Friends around me weren’t comfortable talking in front of people and I found I could do this easily.” Shakeel also found that coaching gave him the financial security he needed to complete his studies. “As a Level 2 coach I could work as a paid coach at the same time. Some people study and do nothing else, some people are looking for work, and some people just do low-paid work.
But coaching is flexible, I enjoyed it, and it helped me to save up and pay all my university fees.” In the current economic climate Shakeel feels fortunate but he has worked hard for success. “For me paying off my fees was really important and it’s something I’m proud of. Because there’s a lot of skills and professionalism involved, the pay is quite good. When my friends heard about it, they asked ‘can you get me a job?’ But I put in years of hard work and that’s why it’s well rewarded. It’s a good feeling finishing your last exam and being debt-free.” Shakeel applied for some finance-related internships in his summer break, but didn’t get accepted anywhere. Instead, he contacted the StreetChance team asking if there was a chance of work experience. In 2013 Shakeel worked throughout the summer with the Cricket Foundation finance team, helping out with basic finance administrative duties. “I was nervous at the start as I’d never worked in a big office where everyone was so professional, but I’m hugely grateful. When I start my first job in finance I won’t have nerves.” Now Shakeel has finished university, he has been offered a full-time community coaching role with Middlesex Cricket Board starting in summer 2014, including hours working on StreetChance. He plans to commit to this and then consider his options for an accountancy career once he has his degree results. “It’s a really good thing that I have my coaching. Lots of my friends are happy they’ve finished exams but also stressed out as they have nothing to do and no work.” Shakeel joined StreetChance because he enjoyed playing cricket with friends, but his journey has been about so much more. His coaching experience has been transformative for both his education and his future career, helping him find financial security as well as greatly enhanced job prospects. “I’m just grateful to StreetChance for all the opportunities. Without StreetChance I think I would have looked to do the degree, but that’s all I’d have. No other skills, no work experience, no paid work. I’d be worried about my future. Now I can afford to be calm and I have no need to worry.” 19
felt they were not engaging many young people through traditional routes. Cricket for Change provided young, local coaches who knew the areas and had a strong background in youth work ideal for engaging young people in difficult neighbourhoods. Capital Kids Cricket supported some projects with local coaches, especially in Tower Hamlets where a Bengali-speaking coach was essential for engaging the thriving Bangladeshi population.
T N E M P O L E V E D T E K CRIC S A E R A Y T I C R E N N I IN 5,742 participants have attended weekly youth community projects, of which:
85% were not members of traditional cricket clubs when they joined StreetChance
69% were from black and minority ethnic backgrounds – 47% are from South Asian backgrounds and 16% from Black Caribbean or Black African backgrounds
41 young people from StreetChance community projects have gone on the play district cricket at Under 15, Under 13, or Under 11 Level and two have gone on to play county cricket at youth levels. Of these participants, 61% had not played cricket at clubs before
Inner-city cricket before StreetChance StreetChance has been delivered over six years across seven cities - in London for the first three years and then in a further six cities for three years since 2011. When the first 10 projects commenced in 2008, the landscape for cricket in inner-city areas was very different, focussed mainly around schools and the development of traditional cricket clubs and leagues. Eight county cricket boards (CCBs) supporting delivery of StreetChance projects across cities were surveyed for their views on the impact of StreetChance. • None of the eight CCBs delivering projects across the seven cities where StreetChance operates felt that they did “a lot” of work in inner-cities before StreetChance, with half saying they did “not much” or “none at all” • All CCBs felt that a lack of funding for such work was a significant reason that they could not engage young people in inner-city areas • Seven out of eight CCBs felt that they 20
lacked the appropriate form of cricket to offer young people in these areas In partnership with Cricket for Change and CCBs, StreetChance funded and established 10 community projects aimed at engaging young people in deprived urban areas who were not accessing traditional cricket clubs for a variety of social and geographical reasons. The Street20 format designed by Cricket for Change was tailored to make the game more accessible for young people new to the game or lacking specialist equipment, clothing or playing areas designed for cricket. Using a tapeball – a tennis ball wrapped in tape – this fast-paced six-a-side format was ideal for engaging young people in inner-cities where there are fewer green spaces. This format can be played in locations more commonly found within cities, such as caged hard courts, youth club halls, school sports halls and community leisure centres. CCBs in London originally supported the projects strategically, helping to identify gaps where they
Katie Berry from Middlesex Cricket Board feels that training and deploying local people in particular is hugely significant, stating that “its importance cannot be underestimated - StreetChance has been the catalyst to engaging with communities and helping them to help themselves.”
Reaching new young people CCBs are unanimous in their agreement that StreetChance has helped them reach new young people previously unreachable through their existing offers: • Five out of eight CCBs ‘completely agree’ and the other three CCBs ‘mostly agree’ that StreetChance has helped engage with communities the Board would otherwise struggle to engage • Seven of eight CCBs ‘completely agree’ and the other one CCB ‘mostly agrees’ that StreetChance has helped the Board deliver cricket to hard-to-reach young people Dan Feist, Head of Community & Cricket Operations for Essex Cricket Board emphasised the importance of StreetChance in the East London boroughs because it “provides a flexible format of the game to fit the limitations of some of the areas.” Similarly Steve Silk, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Cricket Board, highlighted the strength of the project in both reaching young people new to the game and keeping them engaged: “the most significant impact has been reaching a group of kids that we would not have reached without this project and then providing them with a version of cricket that has engaged them fully and ensured they remain playing the game.”
Inner-city cricket in 2014 The change in the landscape of inner-city cricket development where StreetChance works has been significant and CCBs have recognised this. County boards now see their development work in urban areas as an integral part of their overall development strategy, and most have embraced this by delivering projects directly, employing coaches specifically to work on StreetChance. Recognising the importance of local knowledge and positive role models in these communities, many coaches working on projects in 2014 are former participants themselves.
“StreetChance is a superb initiative which has opened doors into the heart of communities and it has enabled us to deliver the positive message of the wider benefits of taking part in sporting activity.” Steve Archer, Yorkshire Cricket Board
Workforce development Another significant impact StreetChance has had is on workforce development, helping CCBs to identify and train young coaches from innercity communities to help deliver in their local areas and act as role models for young people being introduced to cricket in inner-cities. • Seven out of eight CCBs felt that the lack of capacity to deliver and the lack of appropriate coach resource was significant in them not properly engaging young people in inner-city areas previously • Six out of eight CCBs said StreetChance has fed new participants and volunteers into coach education; has enabled the Board to train new and existing coaches to deliver; and has specifically helped to trained and deploy coaches appropriate to their own community
Crucially, StreetChance is seen as an important component of their overall strategy for cricket development, helping young people into the player pathway and in some instances, on to traditional cricket clubs and into county performance structures. This approach to development in innercities would have been unrealistic without their introduction into the game through StreetChance. • Four out of eight CCBs ‘completely agree’ and the other four CCBs ‘mostly agree’ that StreetChance has enabled those young people not playing at traditional clubs to access further cricketing opportunities through the Board’s network • Seven of the eight CCBs agreed to some extent that StreetChance has enabled the Board to identify talented cricketers who would not otherwise be discovered 21
CRICKET DEVELOPMENT IN INNER CITIES
Discovering untapped talent StreetChance has never had any aims related to talent identification. The ethos of the programme is, however, about providing opportunities for all, reaching thousands of young people, most of whom are playing cricket outside traditional structures, so it was inevitable that some talent would be unearthed. Where this has happened, the partnerships with county cricket boards have helped to give talented youngsters from StreetChance the same opportunities that anyone would have through cricket clubs across the county. Forty-one young people have played at either Under 11, Under 13 or Under 15 level for district sides within their county Four of these have gone on to represent the full county age group sides at youth level. This is a remarkable achievement given that the majority of these young people had not even played hardball cricket at clubs. Lancashire CCC are one of the chief beneficiaries, with 10 youngsters making the grade within their districts, eight from outside traditional clubs.
Case Study:
Talent in Liverpool In Liverpool, StreetChance has developed a dedicated group of young cricketers in Anfield, right on the doorstep of the famous football club. At the end of the summer in 2013, just over a year after starting StreetChance, two talented young players newly hooked on cricket looked to take their skills to the next level by joining a local club. Joe Rooney, aged eight, and Charlie Gresham, aged nine, were invited to join winter nets at Wavertree Cricket Club on the advice of their coaches. Both Charlie and Joe instantly impressed with their natural aptitude, developed further by coaches at weekly StreetChance sessions over the previous year and a half, and coach Phil O’Brien suggested that even at the ages of eight and nine they should trial for the district Under 11s team. Both made the grade and joined Liverpool district’s Under 11 squad for their winter training programme. They benefitted from additional coaching with Wavertree CC and Liverpool District through the winter months, and Charlie, now 10 years old, even found himself promoted to join the Under 13 squad at Wavertree CC. One of the coaches from Anfield’s StreetChance project, Sam Goodall Walker, is not surprised at their rapid progress, noting “I have no doubt they will both go on to be excellent players.” Joe and Charlie, both started their first season of hardball cricket matches in summer 2014, representing both Wavertree CC Under 11s and Liverpool District Under 11s, with Charlie also playing for Wavertree Under 13s. They both appear to have a bright future in a sport that neither had played until StreetChance started in Anfield in 2012. Their coach Sam is adamant that without the project their natural talent would have gone un-noticed. “Without StreetChance none of this would have happened as they spent nearly two years with us before moving onto a club. In those two years they learned everything from scratch!”
“The success of the programme in Anfield is a fantastic reward for those that have made it happen and of course for those who have benefitted. I am delighted that cricket is having an impact in Anfield and without StreetChance, this quite simply would not have happened.” Bobby Denning, Managing Director, Lancashire Cricket Board
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StreetChance would not be possible without the generous support of:
..and all delivery partners, companies, individuals, trusts and foundations who support StreetChance
www.streetchance.org
