Dallaglio RugbyWorks, who use rugby to engage young people inside HMP & YOI Parc in Bridgend, have joined Levelling the Playing Field as a specialist partner.
The charity, founded by former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio, uses rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship to equip young people excluded from education with the life skills and attitude they need to move into sustained education, employment or training.
Its work in HMP & YOI Parc (as well as in Oakhill Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes and previously in Rainsbrook STC in Warwickshire) focuses on improving participants’ positive physical and mental health, wellbeing and life skills and preparing them for release into the community.
The rugby sessions in Parc work towards young people’s Level 1 and 2 Sports Leaders qualifications which in turn contribute towards earning their Duke of Edinburgh awards. As well as rugby-based activity sessions, the programme includes one-to-one mentoring support.
Dallaglio RugbyWorks work closely with Parc’s Enrichment Officer, Jamie Williams, to provide through-the-gate support for young people by linking up with positive interventions in the community that will help prevent reoffending. These include Dallaglio RugbyWorks’ own community initiatives, local rugby clubs, youth offending teams, housing associations and StreetGames.
RugbyWorks have been working inside Parc already for five years and have engaged over 100 boys in that time. Sessions can include rugby-based games like kick tennis and capture the flag, or football and gym work. All activities develop skills, teamwork, communication and self-management.
Several young people have engaged in the programme to such a degree that they are being lined up for coaching roles with Dallaglio RugbyWorks after release.
Dan Ley, Senior Regional Coordinator – Wales at Dallaglio RugbyWorks, said: “One boy had suffered a family bereavement, got himself sentenced and was engaging in violence. We started working with him two years ago and RugbyWorks quickly became the favourite part of his week. His behaviour and attitude become more positive and he took on leadership roles with the group.
“He is now really keen to get involved in RugbyWorks when he gets out and has developed a much more positive attitude towards his future. He’s realised he doesn’t have to be stuck in that cycle of reoffending and the youth justice system.”
Dan added: “Another young person was in Parc for serious crimes. With us, he passed his Sports Leader qualifications and Duke of Edinburgh awards. He now wants to help young people in similar situations to himself.
“We are showing these boys different life options other than committing crime. Sometimes it can take a year, sometimes it’s six weeks, but you see the changes in attitude. They see people here really care and want to help them.”
RugbyWorks’s programme sits alongside a similar engagement initiative in Parc run by Tennis Wales, which also contributes towards young people attaining their Duke of Edinburgh awards. Prison officers have even accompanied young people on three overnight camping expeditions.
It’s all part of the establishment’s new enrichment programme, run by Jamie Williams. He said: “It’s fantastic to have expert organisations like RugbyWorks delivering in Parc’s young persons’ unit. Within two or three sessions, young people are loving the game, breaking down those barriers with staff and with other peers as well.
“Collectively, our community links can help continue the momentum we’ve built up with young people after they are released and maintain their links with sport. It’s such a powerful tool and we can use it in custody and post-release to prevent reoffending.”
Dallaglio RugbyWorks joins our Levelling the Playing Field specialist partners Sports Connect and Leeds Rhinos Foundation who currently work with children in the secure estate, plus Climb Unity and Sharks Community Trust who were previously funded to train staff and kickstart physical activity post-Covid restrictions.
On joining LtPF, Dan said: “It’s important we work with as many partners as possible and glean as much expertise and input from other organisations as we can. Levelling the Playing Field work nearby in Gwent and have plenty of resources and knowledge we can tap into. We look forward to being part of the network.”
To read more about Dallaglio RugbyWorks go to dallagliorugbyworks.com