Change Lives Through Soccer

Summary

Street League change lives through soccer. We do this by working with some of the most disadvantaged NEET young people (aged 16-25) in the country, engaging them in structured soccer and education programmes with a view to getting participants into work, mainstream education or training.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

There are currently over one million16-24 year olds out of work in the UK - that's one in five of all young people aged 16-24. furthermore 7-9% of young people are "structurally" unemployed durig boom or recession periods and need more intensive support into employment. Being unemployment as a young person can often lead to a longer term trend of unemployment throughout life, crime and other anti-social behaviour as well as a reliance upon benefits.

How will this project solve this problem?

Street League use the incredible power of soccer in the UK to engage unemployed young adults in free soccer and education sessions that build a positive relationship and develop life skills. From the point of engagement we are able to progress people onto education and employability services enabling people to gain qualifications and complete courses for perhaps the first time in their lives and then go on to long term jobs or training.

Potential Long Term Impact

80% of participants complete our training courses and 75% go onto achieve job and training outcomes. Youth unemployment costs the UK taxpayer 90m a year. 75% of our ex-offender participants do not re-offend as a result of working with us. Participants also "give back" through volunteering and provide peer support to new participants.

Project Message

Before I joined Street League I was unemployed and living in a dry house for ex-drug users. I now consider myself to have re-discovered my confidence and have the tools to achieve my future goals.
- Jim Harper, ex-participant and now Street League Coach