📣 ConnectSport Weekly Digest 🌍🏀
Sähëlï Hub celebrates hat-trick of awards; Police chiefs partner with Premier League; Scottish FA reveals impact of Extra Time programme; Change Foundation announces new CEO, and much, much more...
👋🏾 Welcome to ConnectSport’s weekly digest on Substack. Each week you can read news, features and innovation from the UK's sport for development sector, and beyond. This edition covers the week ending 29th November 2024.
🏆 AWARDS: Sähëlï Hub is celebrating after claiming a hat-trick of awards for its innovative work in improving health and wellbeing for women across Birmingham. This week the Hub, based in Balsall Heath, picked up the Partnership Award at the Sport Birmingham Community Celebration Awards. Read more.
🥊 SDG 16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONGER INSTITUTIONS
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has launched a new partnership with the Premier League Charitable Fund aimed at using football to reduce anti-social behaviour across England and Wales. The Fund will work closely with the NPCC and 43 police forces to support collaborative working with clubs. Read more.
⚽ SDG 1 NO POVERTY
An initiative to provide free after-school and holiday clubs for families on low incomes has helped more than 3,500 children to attend football and other sports sessions, increasing physical activity and improving mental wellbeing during its first year. Extra Time is a joint initiative between the Scottish Government and the Scottish FA. Read more.
🙋🏽♂️ SDG 3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Arsenal hosted a partnership event at the Emirates Stadium which brought together more than 100 local fathers. It provided a safe space for dads to discuss and share any parenthood-related issues and recognise they are not alone in any challenges they face. Topics that were discussed included what constitutes the modern dad, as well as mental health and wellbeing for fathers. Read more.
🏃🏽♀️ SDG 5 GENDER EQUALITY
Liverpool FC's Foundation have been promoting a female empowerment and allyship programme in the city's schools. This week schoolchildren created posters to display around their school to demonstrate their commitment to being better allies. Read more.
The 'This Girl Can Box' scheme from England Boxing (below) has continued to grow throughout 2024, producing a packed calendar of events committed to the organisation’s vision of encouraging female participation in boxing.
Read about the Big Sister project from Women in Sport which aims to build confidence and enjoyment of sport and exercise, and help to overcome any challenges that puberty poses.
📈 SDG 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Sport 4 Life UK CEO, Tom Clarke-Forrest, responded to the publication of the Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper. Tom said: "The number of young people not in education, employment or training is the highest in a decade at almost one million, and so it’s vital we act now." Read more.
QPR in the Community Trust, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, recently hosted a job fair at the nearby Al Manaar Centre, showcasing the club's commitment to supporting local residents with pathways to employment, education and apprenticeships.
⚖️ SDG 10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES
Check out how football clubs have been working to support Stonewall's #RainbowLaces campaign, including through resources available via the Premier League's Primary Stars programme.
As part of Islamophobia Awareness Month, learners at Cardiff City Community Foundation took part in a workshop about culture, religion and respect. Read more.
👉🏽 WEBINAR On Thursday 5th December (1300 GMT) join Activity Alliance, the national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity, to hear more about its forthcoming new strategy. Register here.
🐳 SDG 14 LIFE BELOW WATER
The British & Irish Lions will head to Australia on tour next year with a new charity partnership aimed at raising awareness and funds for the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef.
“We are incredibly honoured to be the official Global Charity Partner for the upcoming Lions Tour,” commented Anna Marsden, Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Read the full story via our friends at Global Sustainable Sport.
👩🏽👧🏾👦🏽 SDG 17 PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Sportswear manufacturer SUDU has launched 'Project Fair Play' in partnership with national sport for development charity Sported. The project is offering seven grants of £1,000 each to running groups across Greater Manchester that can demonstrate they are actively addressing three out of five societal issues outlined by Sported.
The Buddle platform, which aims to support grassroots clubs across England, celebrated its first anniversary this week. Read blog by Sport England's Head of Clubs, Rosie Benson.
The Black Leaders in Sport Network has launched an Expression of Interest form for individuals and organisations interested in joining it.
📣 IN OTHER NEWS...
Where do you get support when you work for a small charity? Read this useful article from charityjob.co.uk
The Change Foundation has appointed Navjeet Sira as its new CEO. Nav’s remarkable journey with the charity began as a volunteer coach in 2010, and she has served as Director of Design and Impact for the last eight years. Read more.
Nominations are currently open for StreetGames' 2024 Awards, honouring the outstanding individuals and organisations using sport and physical activity to make a difference in our communities.
The Sports Journalists' Association will reveal the winner of its 2024 Sport for Change Award, sponsored by Altair Ltd, at the Houses of Parliament on December 9th. Read about the shortlisted organisations here.
The last word….
🙌🏽 Thank you for reading our weekly Substack round-up of news from across the UK’s sport for development sector. ConnectSport CIC is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company which works in partnership with UK Universities to increase awareness and investment for local charities and sport for development organisations.
Our aim is to help more organisations to be able to contribute effectively to globally-recognised Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read about the contribution of sport to the SDGs. For more information, visit connectsport.co.uk or email hello@connectsport.co.uk