SPORT ENGLAND

COMMUNITY SPORT ACTIVATION FUND

Oxford’s Youth Ambition programme

Our story so far…

Setting the scene…

•Oxford recognises the challenges facing young people.

•High priority to help young people reach their potential.

•Development of a Youth Ambition strategy (2013 – 17):

- Focuses on 15 – 21 year olds

- Improving educational attainment

- Improving life chances of young people

- Breaking the cycle of deprivation

Overarching outcomes that Oxford are striving to achieve…

• More active and engaged young people.

• Fewer young people involved in crime and antisocial behaviour or being victims.

• Helping to get young people into employment or training.

To meet these aspirations we have invested in creating a quality sports & physical activity

offer for young people aged 15 – 21.

How sport can improve the lives of disadvantaged young people

Working with Sport England to achieve our aspirations…

• Three year project (2013 – 2016).

• £139,509 of Sport England funding awarded in June 2013.

• £100,000 match funded by Oxford City Council.

• £19,980 in-kind contribution from partners.

• Our targets…

Putting our project in to context…• Provide high quality multi-sport opportunities for young

people.

• Opportunities on offer are in line with our ‘Youth Voice’.

• Opportunities are free of charge or affordable.

• Delivery in five of Oxford’s most deprived areas.

• Delivery in non-traditional venues.

• Incentivising attendance through the Bounts reward scheme.

• Supporting young people to identify and access exit routes and pathways.

Incentivising attendance…

• Working in partnership with the Bounts reward scheme.

- Earn points for participation.

- Points can be redeemed against a variety of rewards.

- Rewards will be updated in line with our ‘Youth Voice’.

• Additionally, we will be looking to incentivise the ‘pathway’ to leisure centres and sports clubs by offering financial support / discounted memberships.

Project progress…• We have successfully engaged approx. 500 young

people in sport since June 2013 with over 3000 attendances.

• We are also demonstrating wider impacts and outcomes and working on reporting these via ‘Views’.

• Engaging various partners including:

- Community Associations

- Leisure provider

- Early Intervention Service and other youth providers across the city

• Launch event held engaging almost 400 young people from the city secondary schools.

Lessons learned…• Challenging age group to engage and retain.

• Male dominated session - we are now exploring delivery models focused on increasing female participation.

• Identification of new venues that would maximise delivery and outcomes achieved.

• Multi-skilling staff to be effective sports leaders and also have the skills to help achieve wider impacts and outcomes for young people.

• Understanding the complexities of local communities and working with young people within these areas.

Sport England support

• On hand to offer help and advise.

• Understanding of the changing needs and demands facing us and allow a level of flexibility within delivery.

• Encourage sharing of best practice by providing details of other Community Sport Activation funded projects successful in Round 1.

Any questions?

Courtney Warden

Community Sports Team Leader

01865 252729

cwarden@oxford.gov.uk