Sport and fitness for today’s youth November 2008 £2.75
Football is keeping kids off streets By Lyndsey Smith FOOTBALL is playing its part in keeping youngsters off the streets and out of trouble through a series of skills programmes. The government backed Unity Project, a national youth leadership scheme, brings together youngsters familiar with gang rivalries and pitches them against rivals on the pitch. Morris Samuels leads the project in Nottingham and using the national Sports Leaders Award (SLA) programmes, youngsters can also develop key life skills such as organisation, communication and self-confidence. Morris wants his youngsters to do even more than put down the guns and reject the gangs. He wants them to volunteer in the community and run further football and sports programmes for young people. He said: “We take something the youngsters love and use it to motivate them to attend educational sessions. Many of these boys will come good, they just need to be shown the light. In their eyes the football is the light. In my eyes the education and social development is the light.” The project aims to encourage
young people to play sport together, break down geographical and ethnic barriers, provide activities supporting young people to increase their aspirations and educational attainment, tackle anti-social behaviour, reduce crime, and encourage young people to volunteer. Morris has worked with his team for more than five years and says it’s about changing the way we think and act towards young people. “Gang culture is very big in Nottingham,” he said. “They divide communities but through the project I will have the biggest gang, and this will be talented young men who have an education and great prospects for a successful life. “The SLAs are an excellent tool to develop the life skills and future prospects of young people and this project can use those to offer a real qualification that can lead to bigger and better things. Things are much tougher for young people these days as there are so many negatives like violence, drugs and crime. Unity is about giving out positives, young people united against guns and gang crime, and sports leaders are helping us achieve this.”
Cookbook kick off
Former Premiership footballer, Neil Redfearn, believes every young player deserves a second chance. He got his at the age of 32, captaining Barnsley football club in their historic Premiership season, finishing as the division’s highest scoring midfielder. Now he is turning his attention to helping kids who may have been shown the door by professional clubs and academies through his new football development agency, Pro FD. He hopes to help them revive their dreams of a career in football whilst also preparing them for life in Civvy Street should they not make the grade. Full story, Page 3
UEFA, the European Commission and the World Heart Federation have joined forces to help launch a cookbook aimed at helping young kids eat healthily. Some of the world’s most famous footballers including Steven Gerrard, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry have contributed to the Eat for Goals! children's cookbook which gives a detailed list of ingredients and step-bystep instructions, making it easy for children to make delicious, healthy meals. The book showcases the footballers’ favourite healthy dishes and aims to promote the message that a healthy lifestyle is also based on healthy food. Liverpool and England star Gerrard said: “The Eat For Goals! healthy cookbook shows young people and lovers of football how to cook and eat like champions.” ■ Full feature next issue.