The Sport for Development Coalition is well-placed to support the aims of the Government's Levelling Up White Paper. Here Tom Clarke-Forrest, founder and CEO of Sport 4 Life UK, explains how his organisation will contribute:
Sport 4 Life UK (S4L) believes in a level playing field where every young person has the opportunity to create a better future for themselves. S4L is proud to provide the opportunity for young people aged 11 to 29 to prepare for, and move into sustained education, employment, or training, by improving their employability and key life skills - through its sports-themed mentoring and training services.
Through its delivery model, S4L supports young people to:
- Gain accredited qualifications
- Transform key life skills
- Improve mental health and wellbeing
- Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour
- Improve employability
- Progress into employment, education and training
More information on the organisation’s impact can be seen in its ‘2021 Impact Report’.
As part of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, and its 12 ‘missions’, S4L’s work closely aligns to:
Mission 1: By 2030, pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK, with each containing a globally competitive city, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing. Relates to S4L outcome 6 listed above.
Mission 6: By 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK. In England, this will lead to 200,000 more people successfully completing high-quality skills training annually, driven by 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest-skilled areas. S4L outcome 1.
Mission 8: By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing. S4L outcome 3, 5 and 6.
Mission 11: By 2030, homicide, serious violence and neighbourhood crime will have fallen, focused on the worst-affected areas. S4L outcome 4.
As this White Paper is introduced, S4L wants to see how and where investment is placed to achieve these goals, and the importance placed on the Third Sector, the youth sector, and the sport for development sector’s role within this.
S4L hopes the focus is on preventative measures, and continues to back the Sport for Development Coalition’s call for ring-fenced investment for targeted physical activity and sport-based interventions as part of funding committed through the Plan for Health and Social Care, Plan for Jobs and Lifelong Skills Guarantee, and Beating Crime Plan.
Read more at sport4life.org.uk
