£10k PFCC funding provides guidance and support through sport

Sport is leading to young people getting the support and guidance they need to avoid a life of criminality or exploitation.

Active Essex Foundation is working with young people across the county to provide wrap-around care and mentoring to ensure they follow a positive life path.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex (PFCC) has contributed £10,000 to Active Essex Foundation in the form of a crime and disorder reduction grant from the 2023-2024 Community Safety Development Fund to fund two projects.

Using sport as a way of capturing their interest, Girls Inspired and Boxsmart on the Ropes tackles topics ranging from exploitation to staying safe online to raise awareness and arm young people with the tools needed to stay out of harm’s way.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: “Young people learn best when they are enjoying themselves. That’s why we are supporting these wonderful projects as they encourage young people to get involved through sport, before wrapping a caring arm around them and showing them the dangers they may face and equipping them with the tools they need to navigate away from them.”

Boxsmart On The Ropes has already been delivered in Colchester, Clacton and Harlow and will now be rolled out to Thurrock in November, thanks to the PFCC funding.

Suzanne Page, localities advisor, said: “Without this work, young people might not have the skills, knowledge and experience to understand the dangers in the community and on social media. They also would not build the coping skills to be able to make the right decisions and positive life choices.

“We see a reduction in involvement in criminality and episodes of going missing as a result of our work. Schools are also reporting to us that the engagement and participation of these young people in class has increased since the course; they are more active learners and are more focussed.”

Of the PFCC funding, Suzanne said: “This funding enables us to not only roll out our programmes, but to gather the evidence to demonstrate we are bringing about system change. We are proving that package of sport, wrap-around care, mentoring, training and volunteering works. The sport is the part that hooks the young people in, but it is the wrap-around care which is the sustainable part.”

Girls Inspired…12-week ASDAN accredited programme offering sport and physical activities, including boxing, circuit training, tennis, golf, dance, yoga and team games, for 13 to 15-year-olds exhibiting challenging behaviours. Lessons in teamwork, collaboration, communication, leadership skills and problem solving are also built into the programme. Girls also discuss staying safe in the community, risk-taking behaviour, exploitation and gangs, and social media pressure. Suzanne Page, localities advisor, said: “We want to see these girls reach their full potential and to engage in physical activity to support their mental health and wellbeing.”

ASDAN is an education charity and awarding organisation providing courses, accredited curriculum programmes and regulated qualifications to engage, elevate and empower learners with diverse needs.

Boxsmart On The Ropes…12-week youth intervention programme. The sport and life skills project, aimed at increasing access to sport and physical activities for inactive 11 to 18-year-olds. With a mission to reduce anti-social behaviour and community disruption, the course also tackles the risks of exploitation with mentoring and life skills sessions and an opportunity to gain sports qualifications. Jim White, sport and youth crime prevention project manager, said: “Our vision is that everyone, no matter what their personal or socioeconomic background, has the opportunity to engage in physical activities to reach their full potential and seek the support they need.”