The Power Of Sport
We closed out 2017 by paying a visit to some of our most remarkable customers. That’s no easy feat, as we work closely with a number of unsung heroes and volunteers. In the industry that we’re in, we get to see just how powerful sport can be in local communities. Street League also recognise that, and use it to power an admirable cause.
Street League’s Mission
Street League is the UK’s leading sport for employment charity. This is an impressive fact given that they were only established in 2010. The aim of the organisation is to support young people without a job, and help move them into a workplace. To some, this may sound like a cheesy plot-line for a Hollywood movie. The results are remarkable, however. In the last twelve months alone, nearly two thousand participants have progressed into jobs, education or further training.
The young people who are involved with the charity largely come from the most deprived areas of the UK. When joining Street League, they report some of the barriers that they face. Criminal records, lacking prior experience and literacy problems are just some of the issues stated upon arrival. The skilled staff working for the organisation tackle these issues head-on.
Up to twenty percent of 16-24 year olds are unemployed in the fourteen regions where Street League operate. The charity has a vision of seeing an end to youth employment, and they see sport as integral tool to help achieve this. Whilst predominately football based, they have also introduced dance and fitness programmes to widen their reach. As well as getting to learn social skills through sport, the participants get access to CV writing, one-to-one support and a number of other valuable opportunities.
Proud Suppliers
Last month we headed down to the English Institute of Sport, where Street League’s Sheffield branch is based. We were treated to a great afternoon with some remarkable people. Included in the day was a mixture of classroom-based teaching and later futsal in an indoor venue. To us, it was obvious to see that the charity offers a greatly beneficial programme.
Bashir Younus, Operations Manager at both Sheffield and Leeds branches for the charity, was kind enough to sit down for an interview with us. In the above video Bashir talks about his role and the direction of the company. Take a look at the great work that he and his team are doing!
The charity been able to create a strong brand identity with their logo applied on their Nike garments. We have been supplying kit to the charity since the beginning of 2016. We were delighted to see first-hand that our products help to create a sense of professionalism via the attire of the coaches and players.
Lee Cooksey, our Business Development Manager who looks after all-things-Street League, said that he was looking forward to continuing working with the charity. “Obviously, Street League has been very successful since it was formed and has helped a huge amount of individuals. That is a credit to the great work of the staff. It goes to show that sport can really help to turn around a young person’s life. To have some involvement in that, by providing the kit for Street League, means a lot to us as at Kitlocker.com”.
Find out more about Street League
We thank Bashir et al for inviting us down to the EIS, which is a remarkable venue home to some of the top sportspeople in the country. It was great to meet just some of the people involved in the organisation. If you want to learn more about the organisation and how it could help you or someone you know, take a look at their website HERE.
Bashir also made us aware of a short film that was made about Street League featuring Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain by BT Sport’s production team. The video makes for really eye-opening viewing and you can check that out below.