More than 3,000 young people will be given places at sport and activity programmes this summer to help keep them away from possible violence and crime. Sport England will provide £400,000 of National Lottery funding to 49 projects in London, the North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire.
These include programmes that will offer coaching and mentoring training for young people who are at risk. Successful projects include Haringey Sports Development Trust, in London, which will increase its midnight basketball sessions from two nights to five nights a week for three months. These sessions aim to give young people a positive activity at times when they could be drawn into violence.
All the successful projects will receive a copy of the Home Office’s #knifefree campaign Partner Pack which includes information on the campaign, along with links to where they can download the campaign resources. The campaign aims to reduce knife crime by changing the attitudes and behaviours of young people aged between 10 and 21-year olds. It aims to increase awareness about positive alternatives to knife crime and work towards changing the false perceptions that knife carrying is widespread and makes you safer.
As part of the ongoing commitment from sports bodies to support young people in serious violence hotspots, The Premier League has also confirmed they will be expanding their flagship community programme Premier League Kicks. This uses the power of football and the value of sports participation to help youngsters in some of the most high-need areas.