This blog post is the first 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
Imagine you suffered a trauma that left you feeling constantly unsafe. Or you wanted support managing your anger. Or you felt paralysed by anxiety. Or the never-ending circle of financial worries left you permanently stressed. Or you needed a distraction and someone to listen to you. Who would you turn to?
Many people would go to family, friends, or for those who are privileged enough, even a professional therapist.
These are just a few examples of situations which affect young people on the Street Elite programme.
However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have that opportunity.
At The Change Foundation, we have Coach Mentors, strong role models with lived experience of the challenges faced by the young people. They use sports to build trust and talk about personal issues in a manner that is not intimidating.
Over time, the chemistry that exists between young person and coach mentor means they become a first port of call for any number of conversations that they wish to have.
We wanted to dig into this idea, so we carried out in-depth interviews with our coach mentors at The Change Foundation. We found out the key ingredients:
1. Long term engagement
Mentoring is a slow process. It takes months and years. This involves being a consistent, reliable presence in their lives, someone they can rely on and talk to without judgment or fear of repercussions. This approach helps to create a safe space for young people to open up and share their thoughts and feelings.
“We find [the young people] in schools and on the streets and we need to build trust and it can take years.”
2. A different dynamic
Coaches build a relationship of trust and friendship with young people, rather than a more intimidating teacher-student dynamic. Being a role model means being there for them through difficult times, and providing emotional support and encouragement.
“Sport is the start of a bond between you and a young person. For those who are not talkative is makes them feel free and at ease, and for those that like to talk, we get to see another side to them. It’s here the work begins, casual in the moment conversation become something deeper. You see vulnerabilities, ambitions, hopes and fears all at the same time.”
3. Lived experience
Our Coach Mentors have lived experience of the challenges faced by the young people they work with. They come from the same communities as the young people they are working with and provide practical advice and support on how to achieve their goals.
“We are a bridge that connects two different worlds, where they come from and where they want to go.”
4. Giving direction
It also means fighting for their best interests and helping to connect them with resources that can aid in their development. This includes exposing them to new experiences and perspectives and helping them to develop skills that will serve them well in the future. It also involves helping them to find their own paths and supporting them as they pursue their goals.
“You’re that person that provides direction and seeks opportunities for them.”
The sport for development sector is full of powerful sports coaches, whose shared experiences, depth of contextual knowledge and credibility within local communities makes them so influential in young people’s lives.
Their emotional support, motivation and guidance can create a healing process for many young people experiencing a range of difficulties, from stress and anxiety, to poor self-esteem and substance use disorders.
This can help to improve young people’s mental health at a crucial and formative time. At The Change Foundation, we want to continue upskilling our coach mentors and encourage others to do so, helping to create a better network for vulnerable young people