ClubWorks supported, Reaching Higher, was formed in 2010 as a response to challenges in the community. Since then it has helped many young Londoners on to the right path using physical activity and sport.
Tell us about Reaching Higher and its key objectives
Reaching Higher works in an area in South Norwood in the bottom 15% of the National Statistics for Deprivation and where childhood poverty is high - 28% of children in South Norwood are defined as living in poverty versus the UK average of 19% and the London average of 23%. Within this community it works with a high level of BME children (90%) the majority lacking positive role models.
20% of the young people Reaching Higher work with are within the care system and require additional support navigating through life and preparing them for adulthood.
When did you begin working with clubworks and how did it start?
We required support to sustain our football project and needed advice on how to improve our funding bid and structure within the project. We applied for this role and we are thankful for all the support provided through the programme. It has helped us massively in enhancing the strength of our team and the way in which we meet the needs of young people.
How has ClubWorks helped you?
Clubworks have challenged our approach to working with young people and have encouraged us to think freely and creatively on how we can ensure our football project continues to meet young people at their point of need.
It has helped us secure more funding which has seen us form partnerships with schools and expand on how many young people we work with. It has also helped us send younger volunteers to gain more knowledge through qualifications and empower them to run sessions and increase our staff team.
With a growth in our team this has had an impact on the participation within the football project and since working with Clubworks we have hit record numbers of participation. Lastly, Clubworks have helped us gather feedback from this project in a more holistic manner, to help us continue to thrive.
What support services have you accessed through the clubworks programme?
- Community assets
- Fundraising workshops
- Networking workshops
- Bespoke funding support
- Advice on specific funding applications
Please describe your experience working with your club support officer and the clubworks programme
My experience has been a very pleasant one. I am encouraged with the speedy responses from the Clubworks team and how often they check with us in order to ensure that we are doing wel. They also off further support if required and this has been incredibly helpful to us.
What does the future hold for your club / organisation
Our hope is that we continue to work towards our key objectives of helping young people who are truly in need of our support.
Our programmes are simply just the platform we use to build genuine relationships with young people so that we can mentor them further and support them throughout any walk of life. Our hope is to continue growing the football academy as we believe that we are working with young people that are not in a position to financially sustain their own development.