Levelling the Playing Field is linking up our specialist delivery partners in London with Centre of Change Counselling and Mentoring Service to provide specialist counselling and mentoring to their young people.

Centre of Change has 18 counsellors and mentors working with young people in the borough of Croydon who are referred by schools, social services, the NHS and other agencies. They may have been excluded (or be at-risk of exclusion) from schools or Pupil Referral Units, or be involved (or at-risk of involvement) with the Criminal Justice System.

The organisation works with clients from the age of 10 upwards and puts together individualised packages of support depending on each young person’s needs. Support lasts for however long it is needed, with shorter programmes starting at 12 weeks, mid-term at 24 weeks and open-ended sessions for those needing more sustained support.

Several of our local delivery partners – Palace for Life, Gloves Not Gunz, Urban Yogis and PKC Academy – are based in the same borough, with others including London Thunder and Millwall Community Trust not too far away.

The initial idea is that young people who are referred to Centre of Change can be linked up with local LtPF delivery partners to use their specialist sport and physical activity provision as part of their ongoing support package.

Centre of Change’s workforce reflects the community they serve. “We look for mentors who are very relatable to the young people we care for,” says Assistant Director Diane Rouillon.

“We are very much embedded in our ward, New Addington in Croydon. We’re very keen to have local mentors from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and with lived experience. Those who have had their own struggles instinctively understand what it’s like.

“We’re always very keen to work with partners. I believe there is strength in numbers and that having partners brings different skills, knowledge and expertise as well as new networks to the table. That’s why we were really keen to get involved when we were approached by Levelling the Playing Field.

“We jumped at the chance, especially after hearing about the vision for the project. This potentially has a nationwide scale. There will be opportunities for us to network with organisations near and far. I am born and bred in Croydon, so linking up with my local team at Palace for Life will be amazing for a start!”

Two of Centre of Change’s mentors, Richard Wallace and Chris Kiffin have attended our mentoring training and will be using the Do-It Profiler software to establish a neurodiversity profile which will inform each young person’s future needs.

“The concept of mentoring through sport is new to us, so we’re very much looking forward to adding it as a new element to the bespoke packages we already offer,” comments Diane.

Diane adds that the partnership with LtPF couldn’t have happened at a better time. “The lockdowns have caused the biggest ever influx of young people to our doors,” she explains.

“That six-month period where young people were home-educated almost continually from March until September last year is where we saw the real rise in mental health issues impacting whole families.

“Kids were locked up at home, parents were either working from home or laid off and disciplining of children whilst simultaneously trying to enforce home-learning routines became a real problem. So many of them – particularly those already diagnosed with social, emotional and behavioural problems and boys – were hooked on their PS4s and other devices, sometimes gaming or engaging with social media all night. These things all took a toll.”

As we emerge gradually from the pandemic, Levelling the Playing Field is delighted to bring Centre of Change together with our partners in south London to help ethnically diverse children who will benefit from extra support for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Levelling the Playing Field’s Project Lead, Rudro Sen, said: “We’re delighted that Centre of Change are coming on board as a partner in London. Their specialism in mentoring brings a unique dynamic to the project which will enrich the package of support we can offer young people.”  

Read more about Centre of Change Project here