By playing cricket, we want young people to develop their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Research by Sport England shows there is a direct link being active and positive mental wellbeing, Chance to Shine programmes are designed to foster this.

How we support mental wellbeing

Coaches develop children's confidence and self-esteem

All children are encouraged to take part and feel they are progressing to the best of their ability. We want them to come away from Chance to Shine sessions thinking 'I can do this'. We focus sessions around children attaining their own personal best, so they are able to feel a sense of achievement and progression and grow in confidence.

Cricket supports the development of resilience

Any cricketer at any level will tell you that dealing with setbacks and failures is one of the most important things you will learn whilst playing the game. In our sessions, children are encouraged to take on challenges and learn from setbacks - whether that's improving on their personal best or captaining a team.

We get young people thinking about their mental wellbeing

Coaches are trained in youth mental health first aid. Street coaches help young people reflect on how to protect and improve their mental wellbeing. They run 'Life Skills Modules' like ' Carry Your Bat' and 'Pick Your Team' to prompt discussions on mental health and developing a support network in life.

How we're doing

"They come back buzzing and full of confidence in their progress"

84% of teachers observed an increase in children's confidence when taking part in Chance to Shine sessions. Primary School teachers noted how a focus on personal best and the encouragement of the coach helped their pupils. 84% agreed 'Sessions have engaged those less likely to be physically active or play sport outside of school' - opening up the benefit of sport to a wider group of children.

Girls see the change in themselves

Academics from spear at Canterbury Christ Church University found a statistically significant increase in girls' confidence at the end of the Secondary School Girls programme. Crucially, the girls could see a difference in their daily lives. As one girl noted, "I'm a lot more confident; like before, I would never have spoken to some of the year 10s. But now, I'm perfectly fine."

Street participants show higher levels of resilience than their peers

We use Sport England measures of resilience to compare the attitudes of young people playing at Street cricket projects to the national average for young people. Young people say that it is the impact of their coach that makes such a significant difference, saying: "My coaches will tell me to never give up and they help me."

Our Stories

Faizah's story

For a 19 year old from Birmingham, Street cricket and the network of friends she built playing at her local project supported her through some periods where she really struggled with her mental health. "My life was anorexia, I wasn't Faizah. I was looking at a hole inside me but I couldn't fill it... When I'm with my friends from cricket, it feels like that hole inside me has been filled."

Read her inspirational story here and watch below:

The power of positivity

Noor Talib started playing cricket at her local Street project, a girls-only session in Redbridge. Although initially quite shy, coach Saba saw her grow and develop in confidence as she became a regular at the session.  In 2017, Noor was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and she spent nice months in hospital in London undergoing chemotherapy. Throughout her treatment, returning to playing cricket with her friends was the light at the end of the tunnel. In 2018, came the news that her cancer was in remission and Noor was discharged from hospital. Returning to Street cricket, Noor's passion for the came has only grown and her positivity and attitude towards challenges is inspiring her friends.

Read Noor's full story here.