An Overview of Our Work
Support Through Sport, based in Nottingham, delivers sport-based intervention, mentoring, and progressions programmes to thousands of disadvantaged young people, empowering them to develop pro-social behaviours and providing a lasting positive impact within underserved communities.
Our journey began in 2021, growing to become a well-established and reputable charity working at the intersection of sport and youth work, to impact thousands of disadvantaged young people throughout the Midlands.
We work to a theory of change which ultimately provides at-risk young people with protective factors, diverting them away from negative influences such as; violence affecting young people, youth offending, anti-social behaviour, group violence and knife crime. Through an innovative, youth-led approach, Support Through Sport harnesses the power of sport to empower disadvantaged youth and create safer communities, where young people can thrive.
We’re passionate about implementing real change within communities worst affected by deprivation and negative influences, through an unparalleled work ethic. We strive to provide young people with meaningful support, guidance and opportunities which enable every young person to achieve their full potential.
Where We Work
We have dedicated offices in Nottingham, Derbyshire, and Birmingham – impacting thousands of young people across the Midlands.
Take a look at our timetables to see which sessions are available and where they are taking place.
Delivery Methodology
Click the sections below to discover the key areas of our work and how they are making a difference.
We know that sport has a unique ability to engage with young people, combined with our approach and youth work principles, Support Through Sport positively impacts thousands of young lives through our programmes at the intersection of sport and youth work.
The service consists of evening multi-sport programmes for young people aged 8-18, delivered on a consistent weekly basis between 4pm and 9pm.
Our weekly sport-based intervention sessions are embedded within strategically identified communities of need.
Sessions are open access with formal and informal referral routes. Progressions mentors support young people at these sessions, with an internal referral route to targeted youth mentoring.
Our progressions service is typically delivered through our sport-based intervention programmes, with flexibility to provide tailored 1-2-1 support and youth development projects as a stand alone service offer.
Trained progressions mentors provide individual and group-based support with the ambition of raising aspirations, removing barriers and enabling young people to reach their potential.
Our progressions team focuses on developing foundational, trust-based relationships with young people to identify risk factors and develop a bespoke offer, beyond the sporting activity. Sharing the same innovate outcomes framework for 1-2-1 progressions mentoring as our targeted youth mentoring team, we can effectively track our progress, set goals and keep young people’s needs at the centre of our work.
Our workshops are designed to educate young people, raise awareness of the negative influences which we aim to tackle and inspire our younger generations to achieve great things.
From knife crime awareness and drugs and alcohol workshops, to emergency first aid and employability sessions, our progressions team delivered an engaging variety of workshops, educating and inspiring disadvantaged young people.
Through a dedicated and experienced team of targeted youth mentors, Support Through Sport provides vital 1-2-1 support for those young people who need it most. We work with young people at-risk of involvement, or already involved in, negative influences – typically facing complex challenges, additional risk factors and vulnerabilities.
Many young people accessing the service have 4 or more identified adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) and derive from underserved communities, worst affected by levels of crime and deprivation.
Working with young people, aged between 10 and 18, who are identified internally or referred externally via formal referral processes, targeted youth mentors develop meaningful, trust based relationships with young people, foundational to the impact of their work.
Decreasing risk and vulnerability factors through an innovative framework, we work collaboratively with a child first approach, to embed and maintain protective factors.
Decreasing risk and vulnerability factors through an innovative framework, we work collaboratively with a child first approach, to embed and maintain protective factors.
Our work is focused on steering young people away from negative influences such as group violence, youth offending, anti-social behaviour, knife crime and violence affecting young people.
We work within educational environments to implement positive change for young people and institutions.
Our work focuses on reducing school exclusions, shifting mindsets for young people and utilising a unique youth work approach to encourage pro-social behaviour change.
Through our expert mentors, well-integrated, within educational systems, our aim is to raise aspirations and support every young person to reach their potential.
Our holiday activity and food (HAF) programmes are delivered during school holidays and between school terms, supporting disadvantaged young people identified via SEND and their eligibility for free school meals.
HAF programmes ensure that disadvantaged young people are provided with nutritious food, kept safe and have access to various positive activities outside of term time.
Children and young people are also sign-posted to our sport-based intervention programmes.
Our Approach
Support Through Sport uses football, boxing, and multi-sport programmes to engage young people aged 8 -18, offering positive diversion and intervention within their communities. Central to our approach is going ‘beyond the sport’ – embedding personal development support to help young people grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
Youth Centric
“Young people are at the heart of our work”
Young people are at the heart of Support Through Sport. We provide tailored support, collaborate for specialist help, and ensure youth voices guide our work.
Experience Driven
“Quality delivery, positive experiences”
At Support Through Sport, we create positive experiences to help young people overcome barriers and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), with well-being central to all we do.
Sport Based
“Utilising the power of sport”
We use the power of sport to engage underserved communities, building trust-based relationships that drive positive change and support youth development in line with our theory of change.
Youth Led
“Young people are the solution”
As a youth-led organisation, young people drive our work with passion and ambition. We champion youth voice and leadership, empowering peers and raising aspirations in disadvantaged communities.
Outcomes Focused
“Empowering young people”
We support youth development and reduce negative influences through an outcome-focused, pressure-free approach built on a clear theory of change.
Innovative
“Youth-led, cutting edge”
We’re a passionate, forward-thinking team driving innovative, solution-focused approaches to youth intervention, working together to create lasting impact.
Proactive Prevention
“Intervention & diversionary programmes”
We take a proactive, preventative approach by targeting root causes through diversion and intervention, working with partners to identify risks early in disadvantaged communities.
Collaborative
“Working together, towards a common goal”
We maintain strong partnerships with statutory, public, and third-sector organisations, believing collaboration is key to strengthening our impact with young people and communities.