This blog post is the fifth in a seven part series about working with young unemployed people impacted by crime, violence and inequality. It explores how we can improve the way we support them into long-term, sustainable work or further education. We talk about the approach used in our training for work initiative, Street Elite, which has so far helped over 600 disengaged young people to find a job or place in college. It is delivered as a collaboration between The Change Foundation and the Berkeley Foundation.
This series is written by the people who deliver the youth programmes, using their direct lived experience over the last ten years, as well as interviews with participants and coaches.
By Anna Heslop, Communications Manager, The Change Foundation
Studies have revealed that nearly one in 10 young people in the UK often or always feels lonely. While this is often attributed to the impact of the pandemic, for some young men enrolled in the Street Elite training for work programme, their loneliness is influenced by a different factor - young fatherhood.
We spoke with some of the young fathers who recently graduated from the programme, all of whom were under 22 years old when they became parents.
Their loneliness was primarily driven by financial pressures, childcare limitations, and a lack of community groups that support young fathers. Through their experiences, we have explored how sport and mentorship have positively impacted them.
“You have to change the person you are in nine months when you become a dad. You don’t want to grow up that fast and there’s a mental battle, so it was hard not knowing other people going through what I was.”
How did playing sports impact their well-being?
By delivering weekly sports sessions, the Street Elite programme creates an environment where the young fathers can socialise and escape the loneliness and isolation they are experiencing at home while caring for their children.
“None of my friends are parents so they go out and do things I don’t want to do. They don’t understand my struggles because they can’t, and I get that, so I spend a lot of time alone.”
Some of the Coach Mentors on the Street Elite programme became young fathers themselves, so were able to relate to the challenges these young fathers faced. This relatability helped build trusting relationships with their mentees and created a space for personal conversations around mental health.
How did sport allow the fathers to be vulnerable?
The young fathers found it easier to be vulnerable and discuss their mental health with the Coach Mentors when these conversations were initiated after a fun, interactive and engaging sports session.
“If there’s mental health support, I do take it and I think every parent should take it, but I wouldn’t think to reach out for help. I don’t feel comfortable and need the encouragement talking but if you catch me in the moment, I speak up, so it was good when my mentor would check in and ask me those questions.”
Street Elite provides travel and subsistence support to participants for each session they attend. This incentive allows the young fathers to exercise, socialise, and discuss their mental health for a few hours a week without the anxiety or concern of missing out on any other income.
“I found the monetary support great because I didn’t have to miss other opportunities to attend Street Elite sessions and I got to have a laugh with people that I’d made friends with. Now I have my baby I don’t have time to play football anymore, so having a space to do that was useful.”
Additionally, by helping young people find long-term employment opportunities, Street Elite can actively combat feelings of financial anxiety. For the young fathers, the opportunity to find progressive and secure careers was a major contributor to their attendance in Street Elite.
“As well as playing football and sports, Street Elite has helped me create a CV and look for new work. I work at the Amazon Warehouse, but I want a job in marketing that I can work my way up and the mentors have helped me find internships.”
For young men who lack access to community groups that engage with young fathers, the Street Elite programme offers a unique form of support. This support is primarily delivered through mentorship and by providing access to the numerous benefits that engagement in sports activities can bring. These elements combine to help these young men combat the isolation they often experience at home, which is, in part, a consequence of their dedication to being involved and present fathers. Street Elite creates the optimum environment for young fathers to discuss their mental well-being and supports them as they raise their families and build their futures.