Beyond Sport Awards

The Change Foundation celebrated another amazing night for their Street Elite programme at the global Beyond Sport Awards 2016. The Street Elite programme won the Barclays Sport for Employability and Enterprise Award. It was up against two amazing African projects, Alive and Kicking (Africa) and Society Empowerment Project

Street Elite is delivered in partnership with the Berkeley Foundation, and is a programme which offers intensive support to people who are often living on the edge of gangs and crime. It helps them to gain the confidence and skills they need to move on into work or further education. Si Ledwith, The Change Foundation Head of Development and Street Elite programme manager said on receiving the award, "It's five years of hard graft working with the most challenging young people in London that are on the edges of gangs and crime. We have to credit the commitment of the coaches on the programme who are available 24/7. These programmes don't make changes overnight, they take time, determination and resilience. The key is to do what you promise and help one person at a time."

Over a period of 12 months participants are trained in employability skills through sport. They then give back to their community by delivering their own sports sessions in their local estates or youth clubs and a sports festival for local schools. The programme culminates in two week work placements with Berkeley Group and other programme partners. 239 young people have moved into work over the course of 5 years through the programme.

"These programmes don't make changes overnight, they take time, determination and resilience. The key is to do what you promise and help one person at a time."