NEW - Saturday Club Report 2006 in PDF

TEAMS is a new Football Project to help young people get fit and stay out of trouble. - see information leaflet here.

Bradford YOT with its partners Social Services and Sports and Leisure Department have secured a grant of £58,700 from the Football Foundation.  This project will target the most at risk young people and encourage them to get involved in football and then to join local clubs.

The Council’s Sports and Leisure Department have recruited a Social Inclusion Project Football Development worker who will work with the Bradford YOT in its Young People’s Support Unit.
 
Using football as a catalyst the young people will be encouraged to participate in a variety of activities to acquire and develop a range of skills, including teamwork, improved literacy and numeracy, personal behaviour as well as better communication. Young people will be given the opportunity to take up coaching awards and sports accreditation.

The aim of the project is to:

• Get young people active

• Help young people to gain accreditation and awards

• Use recreational time in a positive way

• Motivate young people who are not attending or under achieving at school

• Provide the opportunity for young people to become volunteers

• Encourage young people to join local football and sports clubs

• Increase young people’s participation in Leisure Centre activities

Young people can be referred onto the project via the Young People’s Support Unit referral form and marking it for the attention of the TEAMS project. A one – one meeting will then be made with the young person and a guardian or worker to determine what the young person wants to get out of the project.

Funded by the FA Premier League, the Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities.

Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn MP, welcomed the latest community initiative funded by the Football Foundation:

“Football is a good way to not only engage the community but also positively affect change in young people's lives - and that's why this investment is so important.”

Paul O’Hara, The Bradford and District Youth Offending Team Manager said:

"We are targeting young people at risk of offending or who are excluded from school.  The aim is to get them active, to encourage them to join teams in their communities and encourage them to get involved.  We want to use any way of getting them motivated and football is a way that is very accessible."

He said it appealed to both boys and girls and did not need expensive kit to play so was open to many.

"It is a sport youngsters can quickly succeed in. You don't need a lot of talent and you don't need expensive equipment or lots of money to get involved."

He said one of the reasons youngsters often end up in trouble is because they feel there is nothing for them to do which leads to a lack of engagement.

"Many also do not have the confidence and the social skills to come forward," he said.

For more details on the project contact :

 John Pickard (Development Worker) on 01274 436028 or 0773 330 7501.