Levelling the Playing Field’s specialist partners Sports Connect use sport in youth custody and post-release to support young people’s successful reintegration into society and prevent reoffending.
The importance of partnerships between the secure estate and community youth sport organisations like Sports Connect was highlighted by recently-released Youth Justice Statistics, which showed a reoffending rate of 31.2% among children and young people.
Although this figure is a 3% reduction from the previous year, huge issues remain with youth crime - and sport and physical activity is increasingly being recognised as a highly effective tool in steering young people’s lives on to a more positive path.
Sports Connect’s restorative practice programme inside HMP Cookham Wood in Kent is part of Levelling the Playing Field. Coaches work alongside Cookham Wood’s PE staff, building relationships with boys through physical activity and positive interaction as the first stage of a three-tiered approach.
Firstly, while inside, boys are engaged in sporting activity during their structured education time, one landing (between eight and 12 individuals) at a time. There, they develop life skills such as leadership, communication, respect and teamwork. The project also fosters cohesion and unity to resolve fractures between groups. The work includes coaching qualifications.
Next, boys released on temporary license (ROTL) will visit Sports Connect’s education centre a few days per week and are fully integrated with other young people from the community in education and competitive football sessions. There, relationships with coaches and mentors are built further.
The next stage is progression in sport participation, training and employment through Sports Connect’s network of partners nationwide. Once it’s established where a young person will be relocating to permanently, staff will reach out to local partners in that area who can support the individual’s ongoing resettlement with positive activity. As well as being connected with the AoS and LTPF, being part of the StreetGames South East network is key to align a progressive pathway and a national reach.
One recent example is a boy released from Cookham Wood who achieved a Level 1 coaching unit with Sports Connect during his ROTL period. He was then connected with a project run by Chelsea Foundation. He has not reoffended and Sports Connect staff keep in touch with his YOT worker to monitor his progress.
William Lee, Director of Sports Connect, describes another boy who is on track to be employed as a member of their coaching staff, having joined on a ROTL programme and achieved coaching qualifications.
“If he continues on his positive pathway, we will bring him to our community sessions as a support coach,” says William. “That’s the utopia for us. It’s difficult to put it into words.
“I remember his first day in custody in November 2021, being very reserved and unsure and unable to read or write. He’s worked with us one-to-one and we’ve supported him with reintegration. He’s now on our education pathway programme and producing Level 2 standard of work.
“He’s had a member of staff from the resettlement unit who has ploughed the time in to work with him, brings him out to our projects and programmes, mentors and supports him. He’s made the right choices and now he’s at our academy in an unaccompanied role.”
Forming partnerships with community sport organisations who can carry on the good work and positive relationships formed whilst in custody is vital to impacting on reoffending.
“The key to these partnerships is achieving as a collective and sharing the same vision,” states William. “Through Levelling the Playing Field, we’ve built relationships with PEIs [Physical Education Instructors] and strengthened their vision of the role community sport can play.
“We don’t always get it right, but there are so many opportunities for organisations to be part of something really powerful to support efforts to reduce reoffending.
“Being part of Levelling the Playing Field and the Alliance of Sport networks has been so useful. It gets you straight into that space where you can start having conversations.
“It has become a lot, lot easier than it was before. Before that, we didn’t know anyone and we weren’t aware of who was out there. I would do it on my own – almost cold-calling. Opportunities have really opened up and that has helped raise aspirations of the young people.”
Justin Coleman, Alliance of Sport’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “What Sports Connect have established is perfect – it's precisely what the Criminal Justice System needs to be doing much more of.
“Often it’s not possible for stakeholder in the justice system to extend their support for an individual beyond the gate or community licences. However, if the secure estate works with partners like Sports Connect and its vibrant lifelong sports, education and employment networks, it enhances the whole relationship with the individual.
“This, in turn, connects individuals to positive activity in a proactive community. The contact and support they receive will then be lifelong and extend beyond the court order. All the evidence tells us this is a critical part of successful rehabilitation.”