As part of our partnerships theme in November we speak to Mufasser, a young participant from our specialist partners Saalik Youth Project in Sheffield. He has grown up under the organisation’s protective wing in the ethnically diverse community of Burngreave. Recently, he’s benefited massively from being part of a youth leadership partnership project in the city.
Youngster Mufasser Aslam is on the road to success having grown up in the protective ‘second family’ of Saalik Youth Project – Levelling the Playing Field’s specialist partners in Sheffield.
Situated in the community of Burngreave, Saalik Youth Project uses sport and physical activity as a hook to engage children, many of whom are from the local Pakistani community.
Mufasser, now aged 20, has been part of Saalik Youth Project (formerly known as Ellesmere Youth Project) since he was six. His two brothers also attended and were guided by the organisation’s founder and local role model Imran Ali.
“It’s been very important for me and my brothers,” said Mufasser. “We do football, cricket, badminton, dodgeball... all sorts. Sport is an important way to become part of the community. But it’s not only about sport, it’s about discipline and respect and growing as a character.
“As you get older you develop qualities when you’re under Imran’s guidance. It almost happens naturally. When I was there as a kid, we would watch the older ones and how they acted and we would grow to act in the same way. It’s like a cycle.
“We hold each other accountable for things. The staff keep us in check, but if one of us does something wrong or gets into a fight, we will all sit down and discuss it. There’s a lot of crime right now, and if someone doesn’t hold you accountable, what’s to stop you getting a knife out and getting involved?”
Mufasser is one of 17 boys from Saalik to join the NextGen project run by national doorstep sport charity StreetGames in partnership with Sheffield Youth Trust, Sheffield City Council and the local School Sports Partnership. Fifteen children from Levelling the Playing Field’s specialist partners at Reach Up Youth, based just a short distance away from Saalik, have also taken part.
NextGen is a youth leadership project to encourage 16-21-year-olds to volunteer and take social action through a bespoke programme including training, on-the-job experience, mentoring and support.
The project’s aims are to increase confidence and raise aspirations in young people from low-income families, support and mentor young people who may be uncertain of their future direction, allow them to meet peers from across the city, give them ownership of the project and empower them to make decisions, track their volunteering journey, create role models, give them skills to look after their own wellbeing and celebrate their successes.
The project included a variety of courses to upskill the participants and build leadership skills, including first aid, safeguarding and multisports and Level 2 coaching qualifications.
For Mufasser, it has led directly to employment with the Sheffield City Trust as a youth engagement officer, setting up local events and community sport activities for children and young people. “It’s a big step for me and it’s come directly from what I’ve learned through Saalik and the leadership course,” he said.
“It was an excellent course. We did new things every week. A big aspect of it was we all knew each other so we could speak freely, relax and feel at home. There was no judging, no-one was an outcast. We were all friendly and there was no bullying.”
The immense value of Saalik Youth Project and the strong influence of Imran is not lost on Mufasser. He feels his skills and confidence have been built to such a degree that he now acts as a role model and example to the younger ones.
“No-one does anything too wrong, but if I see something that’s a little bit off, I’m confident enough to correct it or take them aside and have a word,” he says. “For example, I clamp down on swearing. There’s no rudeness from them in return, they understand and don’t complain.
“My brothers went through the same programmes as I did. Seeing them at the school holiday camps, behaving the way they did, with respect, I just followed them. I don’t really swear much or go out late at night.
“That’s because we were taught right and wrong by Imran. He is a role model and we are lucky to have him.
“Everyone knows each other here in some shape or form. The Pakistani community is quite tight. It’s rare that we don’t know each other’s families so whenever we see each other, we have a friendly chat. That’s important because you feel part of the extended family and the community.”