Showcasing the Sport for Development sector - Autumn 2018

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STREET LEAGUE
The UK’s leading sport for employability charity
Street League uses sport to change the lives of young people living in the UK’s
most disadvantaged communities, helping them to achieve their potential and
overcome barriers to employment and educational achievement whilst inspiring
them to adopt healthy and active lives. Street League’s aim is to end youth unemployment
in the UK. They do this by working in schools to prevent it, supporting
young people to move into work after school, and ensuring
they stay in the jobs they get long term. Street League know
that if they are going to end youth unemployment they need
to provide holistic support to each young person, at all
stages of their journey. This support is embedded in their innovative
sport programmes throughout which they focus
on all aspects of the young person’s wellbeing. Street
League have also been leading the UK charity sector in
transparent impact measurement, releasing two awardwinning
annual reports in which they talk up-front about
what they didn’t get right. In 2017 the
charity launched a groundbreaking
online impact dashboard (visit
www.streetleague.co.uk/impact)
showing in real time how the charity
has performed over the previous 12
months and allowing users to draw
their conclusions about whether the
charity is effective or not.
@Street_League
Clarke left school with low grades due to bad attendance
and, in his own words, “hanging around with the wrong
crowds”. A couple of years claiming Job Seekers’ Allowance
rolled by before he met a Street League coach at the Job
Centre and was invited to join an Academy programme. On
the programme, one-to-one mentoring was provided by the
Progressions Co-ordinator with CV-writing and interview
preparation, and functional skills in numeracy and literacy
for those who needed it. At the same time Clarke volunteered
to coach younger children attending the Academy venue,
helping to build his confidence and sense of responsibility.
After graduating, Street League staff helped Clarke to secure
a two-week work placement at TM Lewin which was quickly
followed by the opportunity to work as a post room clerk at
Reed Smith LLP. Despite initially being unsuccessful in
applying for this due to his lack of experience, Reed Smith
gave Clarke an internship for one month which was then
extended to three. Eventually he was offered a long-term work
placement as a records clerk and, alongside this, studied at
the Open University for a Bachelor of Laws degree. Five
years on from his first meeting with Street League, Clarke
became a paralegal
at Reed Smith LLP
and he is still in touch
with the charity, acting
as an ambassador.
He is pictured here
with Arsenal footballer
Laurent Koscielny at
a Street League gala
event in 2017.
Street League has
been shortlisted for
the Sport for
Innovation and Tech
Award at the Beyond
Sport Awards 2018.