This blog post is the second 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 from the participants and coaches.
By Simon Pullan, Impact Consultant, The Change Foundation
We use sport to engage young people on our training for work programme, Street Elite. Our coach mentors state that aside from the physical benefits, sport provides a safe and supportive environment for young people to express their emotions and let off steam.
This can be especially important for those who may struggle to express themselves in other contexts. The casual nature of the sessions allows for banter and informal conversation, which helps to break down barriers for those who are initially hesitant or uncommunicative.
“[The young people] have definitely suffered trauma. I let them talk and listen to them, they know it’s just me and they call me brother and are willing to open up... I let them speak, give them space. I don’t give them much, just listen, if I’m worried about anything I go higher up with safeguarding... they know I’m here.”
For these individuals, sport can provide a much-needed outlet for stress and a sense of belonging, but without the guidance and support of a coach mentor, the benefits of sports may not be fully realised.
This is where we feel there is an opportunity for the sector to take a new approach. With trusted mentors already providing therapeutic support to young people, and a lack of availability of professional therapists, the time is now to train coach mentors as therapists to provide a holistic approach to mental health support.
While many sports organisations focus on physical health, our Street Elite programme acknowledges that mental health is equally important for overall well-being. We’re already taking steps to initiate this training and increase the level of fully trained therapists who are also coach mentors, from the communities served by our programme.
We feel that this innovation within the sport for development sector will fill a crucial gap in the offer and help to improve the overall standard of support available to young people. By training coach mentors as therapists, we will ensure that young people have access to a wider range of support services that are tailored to their needs.
“The long-term impact of [my coach mentor] has made positive changes in me and the people around me and now I’m a coach mentor I get gratified helping others the same way.”
The Sport for Development sector is full of bright young coaches with lived experience. It is through experience and education that they have learned how to work with the community to ensure that sessions are primarily fun but also ensure social outcomes are achieved (Cronin and Armour 2015). They are already healing young people through their work, so let’s equip them with the full array or tools to maximise that healing power. We welcome the rise of coach mentor therapists, the new healers.