Social Inclusion

The social inclusion programme is the all-encompassing project which has expanded so much that it has become an entire department within the community scheme. Find out more below.

London Social Inclusion Department

A sports-based social inclusion department that looks to engage with young people across South-East London, to provide sustainable diversionary activities that promote acceptable behaviour in a safe, fun and healthy environment.

Collectively the department is responsible for the delivery and management of the Kickz programme, Greenwich Children's Fund, Bexley Children's Fund & Bexley Positive Futures.

The work the department carries out broadly consists of:

• Estates projects/leagues
• Educational Coaching
• Life skills projects
• Coaching and Communication
• Level 1 Coaching courses

Estates projects/leagues

Aim: To provide a multi-agency youth engagement project to work with young people aged 8-20 years old, across South-East London promoting the Every Child Matters Agenda.

Practicality: Depending on the attendance of young people at the individual estates, the sessions either run as a league with the same group of young people attending or as a drop in session with young people moving in and out of the session. Partner agencies will also provide advice and signposting to participants interested in other sports/activities. The sessions also culminate in games between different estates in one off fixtures, tournaments and the central estates league. (Breaking down the rivalries between different groups of young people). The project also has a Charlton representative side that brings together the best players across the project at an U16 and U18 level. These young people play against West Ham, Millwall and Chelsea's rep. teams

Location: Sessions currently run at, at least once a week and vary in length between 1-3 hours.

1. Woolwich riverside
2. Sutcliffe Park
3. Fossdene primary school
4. Eltham Green
5. Post 16 campus (all Somali)
6. Archers youth club (Deptford)
7. Morden Mount
8. Middle Park
9. Cherry Orchard
10. Samuel Montague
11. Twinkle Park
12. Glyndon
13. Ferrier
14. Thomas Tallis
15. Horne Park
16. Heronsgate
17. Eynsham
18. Winns Common
19. Plumstead Common
20. Training ground
21. Belvedere Youth Club
22. Woodside School, Belvedere
23. Slade Green
24. East Wickham Open Space
25. West Street, Erith
26. Cray & Barn Youth Club
27. Tavy Bridge

Educational Coaching

Aim: To engage young people from alternative education programs, using football as an educational tool. Firstly teaching them to learn football skills to improve their athletic abilities, but also ensuring that they know about the benefits of sport for healthy lifestyles.

Practicality: The sessions are an hour and a half long with coaching for 45 minutes and matches for 45 minutes. The young people may have experienced problems at schools and sometimes are rebellious toward authority figures. The coaches look to build a good rapport with the young people and then in informal discussions talk about sport and its benefits for a healthy lifestyle.

Location: Sessions run in conjunction with

1. Right choice project
2. Full circle Education
3. Youth Inclusion Project
4. Kidbrooke school
5. Howbury PRU
6. Erith School
7. Bexley College
8. Bexley Training Group

Life Skills Project

Aim: To focus on the traits of football and sport to disguise educational points in formal settings. Develop young people's attitude toward each other and to the world.

Practicality: There are three different projects,

• Life skills project - run in conjunction with the DAAT team focus on racism, drugs, communication, social relationships, healthy lifestyles
• Positive Progression - develop young people's communication with peers and authority, healthy lifestyles, team building and leadership.
• Evolution - based around the every child matters matrix, young people encouraged to be healthy, stay safe enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution back to the community, achieving economic well being.

All the sessions are monitored by the school to ensure that quality of delivery is achieved.

Location: Sessions are an hour and a half long and are timetabled into young people' s lesson timetable.

1. New Haven Pupil referral unit
2. Churchfield, Key stage three support centre
3. Youth Offending Team

Coaching and Communication course

Aim: To get young people to take responsibility by training up to become a level one coach. The course aims to look at the way a coach communicates and try to develop this into young people's every day social interaction.

Practicality: Sessions are an hour and a half long and run for a block of six weeks. The first two weeks the coaches explain the merits of coaching and the skills that they need to employ in order to be successful. The middle two weeks are an opportunity for the young people to practice their skills and the final two weeks young people get evaluated on their ability.

Location: Sessions run with different groups of people

• Coldharbour church
• Nacro
• Hyde Housing

Level 1:

Aim: To provide a pathway to further training & employment. After completing the course successfully the young people are encouraged to work back in their local communities to act as positive role models for other, younger, people in their areas.

Practicality: Young people who show good leadership qualities, positive attitude and knowledge or a willingness to learn about football from across the south east of London come together to be trained as a coach and then get tested. If they pass they have the opportunity to pursue employment through the scheme.