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The Impact of Lockdown

We know from our own research, and from speaking to some of their parents, that the young people we reach through our Street cricket programme have been living in communities hardest hit by Covid-19.

This is backed up by a recent report from StreetGames, one of our partner organisations, indicating that young people in low income households have acutely felt the impact of the pandemic and lockdown. These young people often live in overcrowded housing with limited private space and have seen their social lives disrupted through a lack of social structure and a shortage of recreational equipment.

Our Street cricket programme is a lifeline for many young people. Until March 2020, our 214 Street projects were a safe and positive place for the 5,600 young people who attended. For the first time since 2008, our Street sessions were stopped.

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Return to Street

As we move out of lockdown, we are starting to welcome young people back to Street projects across the country. We have many obstacles ahead and the safety and wellbeing of young people is our top priority. Alongside the practical challenges of delivering sessions, we know that many Street participants are likely to have experienced significant social and emotional challenges.

We have delivered training sessions to our brilliant Street coaches, so they can support participants who have faced difficulties as a result of Covid-19 and lockdown. We have also developed a bespoke Life Skills Module that uses cricket activities to address personal challenges arising from the pandemic.

Chance to Shine Street was set up to reach young people in more deprived urban communities, where the opportunity to play cricket in the community didn’t already exist or wasn’t accessible. Street is a fast, fun, free and exciting format of cricket.

Crucially, we know that Street engages young people who are less likely to play sport or be active, helping them to overcome the barriers to taking part and having a positive impact on their physical, mental and social wellbeing.

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Fareed's Journey

Fareed Mohammed first joined the Chance to Shine Street project in Sparkhill, aged 13. Growing up, Fareed recognises that he was a disruptive child, “I used to mess about a lot, I was a bad kid.”

Mohammed Arif, Fareed’s former coach, noticed that whilst he enjoyed the street sessions, his frustrations would bubble over and he would get angry. Fareed credits his former coach as a significant influence on his life, “At a young age, he gave me life advice: this is what you should do, this is what you shouldn’t do.” Fareed grew in confidence and as a result, played a key role in welcoming new people to Street sessions and coaching the younger children.

After completing his Level Two coaching certificate, Fareed, now aged 20, was employed immediately to support the sessions he was once a participant at. With a first-hand understanding of the outside influences affecting the children, Fareed wants to make a difference to the children as Arif did with him, to ensure they avoid ending up in trouble.

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Chance to Shine needs your help to raise £500,000

We need your help now, more than ever. We have secured £1.1m for our Street programme over the next 12 months. But we need to raise a further £500,000 to ensure we can run all 214 projects year-round.

We have created something very special for young people and need your help to ensure Chance to Shine can continue to keep children active, and support their mental, personal and social wellbeing.

Please help us today to secure Chance to Shine Street for the future

To find out more about how you can help, please contact [email protected].

Donate today