UK Sport, in partnership with StreetGames, Liverpool FC Foundation, World Boxing Championships and Lucky Socks Media, has piloted its first content creator school for young people in Liverpool.

Over the past two weeks, the city’s M&S Bank Arena has played host to the World Boxing Championships, with the world’s best female and male boxers taking to the ring.

Thanks to StreetGames’ partnership with UK Sport as one of their first-ever Event Social Impact Partners, we were thrilled to be able to offer five young people from network members Liverpool FC Foundation the chance to be part of the action.

This opportunity saw the young people immersed in the live event experience, undergoing on-the-job training to learn what makes compelling content and the practical skills needed to film and edit their own videos. They’ve had access behind the scenes of the event and have met with fans and athletes alike to spark their creativity.

See some of their work in action on Instagram

We are proud to have helped bring the content creator opportunity to life as part of our Inspiration campaign, which aims to connect young people to major sporting events – offering unforgettable experiences as well as supporting them to develop key employability skills for the future.

Ryan Hardy, Premier League Inspires Senior Coordinator at Liverpool FC Foundation, shared the impact on participants: “The young people took so much from it – building confidence, creating content, and rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in boxing. Seeing their work go live across social media channels was a real highlight for them.”

Feedback from the young people has been overwhelmingly positive, with the experience exposing them to new options to build a career within sport: “I found this experience very interesting as it gave me a better understanding of content creation and the media. Learning from two experts was invaluable, and it was really exciting to have behind-the-scenes access at the boxing and to see the support from all the different countries.”

With their newfound skills and beginnings of a portfolio, the first cohort of the content creator school have even more options for their future.

Thirteen community organisations supported by the partnership between StreetGames and Places for People have reached a new milestone, boosting healthier communities by helping almost 2,000 young people access sport.   

StreetGames, the national charity dedicated to providing young people with access to sport and physical activity, partnered with the Places Foundation – part of the UK’s leading social enterprise Places for People (PfP) – to invest in sport across PfP local communities, helping to improve opportunities for young people to get active.

Building on the success of previous years, StreetGames and PfP expanded the campaign in 2024 to include six more areas across England taking the total to 13, to include Leeds, Hull, Preston, Bedford, Huntingdon and St Neots.

StreetGames and PfP partnered in 2021 and developed a ‘Doorstep Sport’ approach to improve the access to sport that is proven to have multiple positive impacts on young people growing up in disadvantaged communities. By applying the five rights of doorstep sport – place, price, time, people and style – all organisations have contributed to enhancing the lives of young people across the targeted areas.

To ensure the scheme would have long-term impacts, PfP and StreetGames identified a number of locally trusted organisations (LTOs) and commissioned them to undertake the delivery of Doorstep Sport. These organisations are stable and trusted by the local community, they build partnerships, relationships and connections locally, have good governance and are able to demonstrate the impact of their work.

Jamie Dickinson, Group Head of Social Impact at Places Foundation, commented: “We are delighted to have so far engaged 1962 young people across England to get access to low-cost sport and support healthy, happy and active lives.

“We see the direct impact of poor health on our communities and we take our responsibility to support the improvement of national health and wellbeing through access to physical activity seriously. Our project offering has been shaped by our insights from our customers through our annual Wellbeing Surveys and are targeted to our regions through our Community Connectors to young people who can be traditionally hard to reach. We know that some people don’t have access to leisure centres, and this is one of the ways that we work in partnership with different organisations to deliver a variety of initiatives to improve their health and wellbeing.”

Across the 13 communities, 786 sessions have been delivered in total, involving 90 volunteers, and 45 young people have been supported into training and 10 into work.

Stuart Felce, UK Director, Strategic Business Relationships at StreetGames, said: “Reaching nearly 2,000 young people across 13 communities is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of. This partnership has shown what’s possible when sport is brought directly to young people’s doorsteps in a way that’s accessible, inclusive, and rooted in local trust. The impact has been real and lasting—boosting confidence, improving wellbeing, and opening up new pathways into training and employment. It’s a brilliant example of how sport can be a force for good in the places that need it most.”

Kamran Khan from the Junior Sports Hub in Leeds said: “This project has provided a safe and secure space for women and girls in Harehills to allow them to engage in sport and fitness. Their confidence has improved so much over the project and the variety of sports they’ve been able to participate in has been great for their fitness. Some of the girls really took initiative of the project and became natural leaders throughout, building the confidence of other girls. Seeing the girls improve their physical and mental health as well as their self-confidence was the most vital part of the project and one thing we want to carry on in our organisation.”

Since its launch, StreetGames has supported 14 schemes with numerous partnerships across 13 communities in England where PfP manages properties. The sessions were designed to tackle local issues, such as a lack of existing provision and anti-social behaviour in the area, with the overall aim of improving the lives of each community.

Jamie Dickinson, continues: “We’re extremely proud of the success of this project and our partnership with all the organisations that have made this happen. Our Places Foundation team has taken the message of the project to the heart of our communities, and we’re looking forward to building on the success of our community engagement model with more regions in the future. We are committed to making a real difference to the lives of our customers who need it most, and partnerships like this are not only improving health and wellbeing but are also a great way to bring communities together.”

The 13 areas where schemes have been delivered so far are Newcastle, Preston, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Huntingdon, St Neots, Bedford, Haringey, Hounslow and Bristol.

Read the full Project Report to find out more.

We are delighted that the Department for Education has today announced a £600 million investment into the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme over the next three years.

At StreetGames, we are proud to be have been a major partner in the HAF programme since its inception in 2018 – co-ordinating and delivering programmes across the country to provide healthy, active and fulfilling holidays for the children and young people who need them most.

Mark Lawrie OBE, CEO of StreetGames, said: “We warmly welcome the Department for Education’s £600 million investment into the HAF programme over the next three years. This vital funding will ensure that children and young people in low-income families continue to benefit from safe spaces, nutritious meals, being physically active and enriching activities during the school holidays. By supporting wellbeing, learning, and the development of key life skills, this investment represents an important step towards tackling inequality and helping every child to thrive.”

Claire Wheeler, StreetGames’ Bring it on Brum! Programme Manager, said: “The continued development of HAF and the diversity of the activities on offer provide significant opportunities for children to grow, socialise and develop. Through our academic evaluation and learning, we understand the impact of the programme and where this reaches across other areas of life, including children becoming more physically active year-round, and the growth of the community and voluntary sector with a more skilled, competent and confident workforce. We know that we have supported families to access additional support and that we’ve provided a safe haven for thousands of children.”

HAF is an initiative that speaks to the heart of what we believe in at StreetGames: giving every child the chance to be healthier, safer and more successful. This vital investment represents an important step towards tackling inequality and helping all young people to thrive.

Thank you to everyone who has tirelessly championed this programme and made its continued success possible.

For media enquiries, please contact press@streetgames.org

StreetGames CEO Mark Lawrie OBE shares his thoughts on the government’s new 10 year health plan for England.

The government’s recently published 10-year health plan for England sets out an ambitious vision for transformational change across the NHS.

At StreetGames, we welcome this long-term commitment to improving health outcomes – particularly when it comes to tackling the deep-rooted inequalities that continue to affect communities across the country. With our 20 years of experience, we have an important role to play in ensuring that the voices of young people growing up in underserved communities are at the heart of the government’s agenda as they put their plan into action.

Tackling inequalities

The plan rightly highlights the growing gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest in society: a gap that has persisted for far too long.

Last year, we commissioned the Association of Young People’s Health (AYPH) to conduct a research study exploring the health and well-being of young people living in low-income communities in England and Wales.

The findings were stark. On almost every measure, low income is associated with poorer health outcomes – from higher rates of disease and disability, to reduced access to services and support for managing long-term conditions. The report also highlighted significant disparities in mental health, obesity, diet, and nutrition, painting a clear picture of the challenges faced by young people growing up in underserved areas.

AYPH’s review of the policy landscape found that while there are high-level commitments to supporting young people and those living in poverty, in practice, this age group is often overlooked. While the government’s commitments laid out in the plan – to halving the life expectancy gap and raising the healthiest generation of children ever – are to be welcomed, these findings highlight that more must be done to translate these promises into action.

A pivotal role for physical activity

At StreetGames, we will always champion the multiple benefits that sport and physical activity can offer to children and young people living in underserved communities. These are not just leisure activities; they are powerful preventative tools that support physical health, mental wellbeing, and social connection. In 2024, our work enabled more than 92,000 children and young people to take part in life-enhancing Doorstep Sport and holiday activities provided by community organisations in the StreetGames network – but there are many more who are still missing out. There is an urgent need for targeted, community-led interventions that meet young people where they are.

Encouragingly, the government’s plan recognises this need, committing to a place-based approach to physical activity through a significant investment into local community sport facilities, as part of a new strategy for physical activity to be developed with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

We look forward to working with government and partners to ensure that these commitments are translated into practical, impactful policies that are developed in collaboration with young people and tailored to their needs.

A focus on mental health

Mental health remains a core concern for the young people we work with. In our Young Person’s Manifesto, which amplifies the voices of young people living in underserved communities across England and Wales, mental health was a top priority. Young people consistently called for more access to understanding adults: counsellors in schools, youth workers, and trusted figures who can offer support, listen, and advocate for their needs.

We were encouraged to see the government commit to expanding mental health support teams in schools and colleges, as well as embedding mental health services within the new Young Futures Hubs, which will support vulnerable young people who are at risk of being drawn into gangs, violence or knife crime.

At StreetGames, we have long recognised that community safety and mental wellbeing go hand in hand. We are proud to be a trusted partner on projects including the Youth Justice Sport Fund and local violence reduction programmes, championing a child first, preventative approach.

The Young Futures Hubs represent a vital opportunity to create safe, welcoming spaces where young people can access holistic support – but they must be backed by adequate resources and a genuine commitment to co-design with young people.

Looking ahead

The government’s 10-year health plan offers a real opportunity to reshape the future of health in England. The plan’s commitment to tackling inequalities in both access and outcomes speaks to the heart of what we do at StreetGames, and we are ready to play our part – bringing the power of sport, community, and youth voice to the forefront of efforts to build a healthier, fairer society.

Let’s make sure that no young person is left behind.

For media enquiries, please contact press@streetgames.org

Written by Kate Roberts, StreetGames Place Partnership Manager – North East, Yorkshire & Humber

The idea for Kit Out was sparked by something that the StreetGames team see all too often: young people with so much to gain from sport and physical activity, but who are held back by not having the right kit.

Lack of suitable sports kit – something that many of us take for granted – is a real and persistent barrier to participation. 74% of surveyed community sports leaders told us that young people are less likely to take part without the right kit. For young people growing up in low income, underserved communities, where opportunities to play sport and be active are already limited, this can make all the difference.

From a conversation between Sarah Tague (Active Humber) and I about the need for more to be done to address these challenges, Kit Out was born.

The project was developed with three key goals in mind:

• Tackling inequalities, by breaking down a key barrier to participation and enabling young people living in underserved communities to engage in Doorstep Sport
• Improving environmental sustainability, by reducing waste and diverting used clothes from landfills
• Strengthening place-based partnership working, by bringing together partners in place to pool capacity, assets and resources – creating a sustainable and shared local project

The project has its roots in Hull, where it launched in summer 2024. From collection and sorting, to stigma-free distribution, the system was built with community and partnership at its heart. In this first chapter alone, we were able to kit out over 300 young people – empowering them to be active, while also keeping more than 200kg of clothing from ending up in landfill.

With this successful pilot under our belts, the project has gone from strength to strength. Kit Out is now running biannually in Hull – and this summer, has taken its first steps into more locations across the North East.

This June, Kit Out was launched in Hartlepool for the first time. With 39% of children in the town living in poverty, the need for the initiative was clear. Teaming up with Hartlepool Sport, Reloved Clothing, and the Youth Sport Trust, we were able to open up donation points across Hartlepool.

The response from the local community was fantastic, including a huge donation of shoes, shirts and tops from Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation. With summer holiday activities getting underway in the next couple of weeks, these donations come at a crucial time to ensure that local young people feel comfortable and confident to get involved and enjoy a happy, healthy holiday period.

This year has also seen the launch of Kit Out in Sunderland. With 12 donation points across the city, the project has been buoyed by the scale of partnerships involved – with Active Sunderland, RISE, Sported, Youth Sport Trust and the North East Combined Authority all working together to make it a huge success. With 224kg of kit donated, stakeholders and volunteers have worked swiftly to sort the donations and get them straight back out to and the young people they support.

We are thrilled that what started as a conversation between colleagues in Hull has gathered momentum at the pace that it has. We’ve created a replicable model that combines social impact with environmental action, and partnership working with wider community engagement.

With more Kit Out initiatives in the pipeline, both regionally and further afield, we can’t wait to expand the impact and continue supporting both young people and the environment – one t-shirt, tracksuit or trainer at a time.

What our partners are saying about Kit Out

“This is a fantastic way of giving a new lease of life to unwanted sports kit. It helps both those who want to get active but don’t have the kit and those who have it but no longer need it. We’re delighted it’s happening in Sunderland and our thanks go all the partners who are hosting donation boxes.” – Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council

“Sport and physical activity has so much to offer from a mental, physical and social health perspective, so to see organisations in the region working together to reduce barriers to participation is something we are delighted to support and fund as part of our mission to reduce child poverty.” – Charlotte Carpenter, Director of Skills, Inclusion & Public Service Reform at North East Combined Authority

“The HAF programme provides a valuable opportunity for many children and young people who face the challenges of deprivation and inequality to experience sport and physical activity, making it part of their regular holiday periods. The opportunity to continue their involvement beyond the school holiday is limited by numerous barriers, the cost of sports kit and equipment being one. Kit Out Hull provides a valuable resource to support young people to continue to play, train and enjoy sport and experience the ongoing social, health and wellbeing benefits which come with a healthy lifestyle.” – Kirsty Leake, Locality Programme Co-ordinator at Healthy Holidays Hull

Get involved

Do you want to get involved in an existing Kit Out project or discuss setting one up in your area? Please reach out to a member of your regional team or contact support@streetgames.org

You can also download our Kit Out How To Guide for more information on the approach and tips and resources for making it work in your area.

StreetGames CEO, Mark Lawrie OBE, introduces our People Plan: our commitment to developing and helping to grow our people, enabling us to achieve our mission.

At StreetGames, we recognise and celebrate our people as our most vital resource. Each and every one of our staff, contractors and trustees, whatever their role, plays a vital part in achieving our mission of transforming the lives of young people living in low-income, underserved communities through sport and physical activity. As a collective and as individuals, we are the people beside the people who change lives and communities – a mantra I refer to frequently and with immense pride.

We understand that to reach our goals as an organisation, it’s crucial that each of our people feels a strong sense of belonging, is truly valued, and has the tools and support needed for both personal and professional growth. In consultation with colleagues across the organisation, we have developed this People Plan to set out our commitment to understand and look after our people, helping us to grow a diverse team that loves what they do and are motivated and equipped to meet the changing needs of the people and communities that we work with.

I am proud to know that people enjoy working at StreetGames. The People Plan includes the results of surveys that highlight this, but I also see it personally on a daily basis in the way that our team lives by our values: by being people-centred, passionate, positive, pragmatic and courageous. We also know, however, that there is always more that can be done. We will not be complacent.

I am excited to share our Plan and look forward to working alongside each of our people as we bring it to life and continue to create lasting, positive change.

Read the StreetGames People Plan

The StreetGames People Plan has been developed in accordance with the Sport England People Plan for System Partners.

Written by Andres, StreetGames Young Advisor

For the first time in my life I started volunteering in sport late 2021, I had just started sixth form and had trouble finding a club to be part of. So a friend invited me to a local community centre (LS14 Trust) which offer free sessions every week to take part in all kinds of sports.

Going every week, eventually the Health and Sports Officer asked me and my friend if we wanted to be part of the ‘Sport leaders’ group to begin our journey in becoming young leaders within the world of sport, which was really exciting especially as a 16-year-old that was realising he was passionate about sport and youth.

As months went on StreetGames were looking for young people that were interested to join a programme called ‘NextGen’. I just remember feeling so full of joy and energy during and after the first introductory session of the programme. Because of the programme I was able to gain qualifications and experience that ended up helping me whenever I was helping with sport events and volunteering/coaching.

As a reward some of us from the community centre were invited to go to StreetGames’ 2022 Summer Camp, part of the #Inspiration2022 campaign. To say everyone including the Young Advisors did their job would be an understatement. As a result I applied to become a Young Advisor and have the privilege of working with StreetGames.

Becoming a Young Advisor was one of the best decisions I was presented with, and I was able to take part in youth voice to help our community, network with some great people from all over the UK and be part of huge events, such as the Brathay residential last October (2024). It was an incredible experience, with conversations, interactions and connections that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Although a little bit older and happier, I’m not certain which career path I’m going down. What I do know is that StreetGames and volunteering overall, have carved more paths to walk through in the near future alongside people that will support me when needed.

StreetGames is pleased to have secured funding from the Welsh Government’s Child Poverty – Innovation and Supporting Communities Grant.

This significant investment will enable the delivery of an ambitious new project designed to tackle the root causes of child poverty by empowering young people through sport and community leadership.

The project, Doorstep Sport Activators (DSAs): Testing Opportunities for the Creation of Future Community Leaders, will be delivered across Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend, areas among the most underserved in Wales. 

The programme will train young people aged 16–24 as Doorstep Sport Activators, equipping them with leadership skills, employment readiness, and a platform to deliver fully funded, accessible sporting activities in their own communities.

This place-based, youth-led initiative aims to create positive role models, build community resilience, and expand access to volunteering and physical activity in areas where opportunities are often limited. 

Key Areas of Impact: 

• Tackling Poverty and Inequality: All programme activities, training, and equipment will be provided by StreetGames, removing financial barriers and supporting young people whose families face economic hardship. 

• Pathways Out of Poverty: Participants will gain valuable life skills, confidence, and employability support, including CV writing and interview preparation. 

• Supporting Wellbeing: The programme will increase access to physical activity and help build trusted relationships with mentors, supporting young people’s mental and social wellbeing. 

• Challenging Stigma: The project will work to break down negative perceptions around poverty, while creating inclusive, respectful environments led by young people from the communities they serve. 

• Community Collaboration: Delivered in partnership with six community organisations, the project will build strong, local networks to ensure sustainability and shared learning across the region. 

Gareth Winmill, Head of Doorstep Sport and Network Engagement at StreetGames, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with local organisations across South Wales to create real, lasting change. This investment from the Welsh Government will help us empower the next generation of community leaders and ensure more young people can access life-enhancing opportunities through Doorstep Sport – a key end game goal of our 10-year strategy, Active for Today and Tomorrow.” 

The project will launch in June 2025 and run through to February 2026, culminating in a bilingual celebration and dissemination event to share learning and support replication across Wales. 

StreetGames and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority are proud to announce a new strategic partnership, launching in spring 2025, aimed at transforming opportunities for young people in underserved communities across London and the South East through sport and physical activity.

This partnership combines StreetGames’ deep roots in community engagement with Lee Valley’s iconic venues and shared commitment to making sport and activity accessible to everyone. By working together, we’re aiming to break down barriers, boost wellbeing, and give young people more chances to get active, feel connected, and look forward to a brighter future.

A Shared Mission for Change

StreetGames is a national charity dedicated to building healthier, safer, and more successful communities by making sport and physical activity more accessible for young people in low-income areas. Its Doorstep Sport approach takes the right activities to the right places, meeting young people where they are and developing new opportunities.

Lee Valley’s 2023–2026 Sport and Active Recreation Strategy shares this commitment, with a focus on targeted interventions, access to world-class venues, and embedding physical activity into everyday life.

Key Aims of the Partnership

• Expand access to sport for underserved young people
• Support grassroots activity through grant funding
• Bring communities closer to iconic Olympic venues
• Bespoke staff training on engaging young people
• Share insights to improve practice across the sector

What’s Coming Up

Community Access Fund & Active Communities Grant Scheme
These funds help community partners deliver local sport and activity experiences at Lee Valley sites.

Major Event Legacy Projects
We’re building connections between big events and local communities — through volunteering, fan experiences, and youth engagement.

Lee Valley Ice Centre Community Commitments
A 10-year plan focused on education, crime prevention, apprenticeships, and health & wellbeing.

Workforce Development & Training
StreetGames will provide expert-led training to help venue staff connect more meaningfully with young people.

This partnership is also about creating long-term change and developing new opportunities for young people. At its heart is a commitment to helping more young people from low-income backgrounds stay active, healthy, and connected. It’s also about creating inspirational pathways into sport, whether through volunteering, leadership, or participation, so that young people can see a future for themselves in the spaces where they’ve often been overlooked. By championing inclusive practices across the sport sector and sharing learning and innovation, the partnership aims to use shared expertise to influence policy and programme design, not just for now, but for years to come.

“This partnership allows us to turn our shared commitment to tackling inequality through sport into real, visible change. We’re reaching the young people traditional models often miss — and giving them reasons to believe they belong in these spaces.” — Craig McFadyen, Sport Partnerships and Inspiration Campaign Manager, StreetGames

“We believe sport and physical activity should be for everyone. This partnership with StreetGames means more young people will see our world class sport and leisure venues as places where they belong – where they can try new experiences, be active and inspired..” — Paul Coates, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

We are looking to form a Youth Advisory Group on behalf of the Children’s Coaching Collaborative (CCC) to truly embed young people and their voices within the sector.

About the CCC

The Children’s Coaching Collaborative (CCC) is a group of organisations who together have established guiding principles and a purpose to improve the experiences of coaching for children and young people by embedding the UN convention on the Rights of the Child into sports provision.  

About the opportunity

We know that when children and young people have a voice, choice and ownership of their journey when participating in physical activity, they are more likely to develop a lifelong love of being active.  

Through the Youth Advisory Group, we will explore opportunities for you to share your experiences, views and opinions on sports coaching, and support you with developing your knowledge on your rights and understanding of the sector to help you in your role. 

You will be supported by a team of StreetGames staff, and staff from wider partners of the CCC. You will receive a detailed induction, and training to help you build your skills and confidence to express your voice in a safe environment. 

Why get involved?

• It’ll be fun!  
• Get your voice heard – share your views and experiences  
• Make a difference – amplify the voices of young people to shape practice, advocate for change and influence initiatives that impact your peers 
• Opportunity to improve your confidence, experience and employability skills 
• Grow your network – connect with other young people, professionals and other people within the sport & physical activity 
• Opportunity to travel within the UK 

What StreetGames will provide:

• All your travel, accommodation and food will be paid for (for face to face meetings) 
• Free Young Advisors kit 
• A reference and support on building your CV 

What will I be doing?

You will be part of a Youth Advisory group that will meet regularly to inform and make decisions for the CCC about what matters in coaching sport and physical activity, with a young person-centred approach. 

We expect participants to: 

• Commit to up to 12 months of their time 
• Participate in regular meetings, with the option to attend wider CCC meetings 
• Be available for up to two face-to-face meetings per year 
• Take part in and work as a team with other Young Advisors 
• Be interested in shaping the experience of young people in community & sport settings 

Who is it for?

We are looking for Young People who are : 

• Aged 14 – 18* 
• Able to commit for 9-12 months, attending monthly online & up to two face-to-face meetings per year 
• Interested in shaping the experience of young people in community & sport settings 

*We welcome applications from all young people. We are particularly interested in applications from young people with varied experiences, including any of the following:  

• having additional needs, disabilities or neuro-diversity  
• from an ethnically minoritised group  
• is/was eligible for Free School Meals  
• experience of the criminal justice system  
• care experienced or having care responsibilities   
• negative experiences of sport and coaching  

How to apply?

There are three different choices for submitting an application: 

• Video submission
• Written answers 
• Recorded Teams call with a member of the CCC Youth Voice team.

Please complete this personal information form and submit your application preferences.

This application form is designed to help us identify those best suited to becoming a Young Advisor. We anticipate that the form should take about 10-20 minutes of your time to complete.  The application questions for all three methods are: 

1. Please tell us why you are interested in this opportunity.
2. What skills and experience will you bring to the team? 
3. Please could you explain why you feel that young people participating in shaping opportunities for them is so important? 
4. How would being a Young Advisor have an impact on you? 

Need more information or have any questions?

Please get in touch with us via: 

• Email: volunteering@streetgames.org 
• Call/message: Kath (07767 584578) or Kendle (07485 373007)