Positive Futures

 National Aims

• To reduce instances of crime in the project’s participants through engagement in sporting and physical and youth based activities
• To reduce instances of drug and alcohol misuse in the projects participants
• To increase young peoples awareness of and regular participation in sporting activities and healthy lifestyles in the project areas.
  

Local Aims

Positive Futures - Kingston

The Kingston Positive Futures programme have teamed up with Fulham FC Community Sports Trust, London Borough of Kingston, The Football Foundation, The Kingston MET Police, Community Action Partnership and Kingston Drug Action Team (DAAT) to launch a new Positive Futures activity programme called Kingston Positive Futures.

Positive Futures is a national sports based social inclusion programme managed by the Home Office Drugs Strategy Directorate and funded by the Home Office and the Kingston programme will focus on working with young people based on Cambridge Road Estate in Norbiton, Kingston.

The aim of Positive Futures is to use sport and other multi activities as a way of contacting ‘hard to reach’ 10-19 year olds and providing them with more informed education, health and lifestyle choices.

Pathways will also be put in place to allow local young people to undertake coaching qualifications and become role models in their own communities.

As a Estate based programme we are aiming to become a real success in demonstrating how sport can be used to combat social exclusion and make a real difference to the lives of local young people.

In brief Positive Futures has:

• Worked with 192 young people
• Delivered 322 hours of sport/ physical and multi-activities in which each young person would have participated in approximately 21 hours during their time on the project
• Delivered topics related to education around drugs awareness crime and healthy lifestyles of which each young person would have participated in approximately 20 hours. Delivered 212 hours of sport/ physical and multi-activities in which each young person would have participated in approximately 21 hours during their time on the project

Within these figures

• 8 young people aged 16-19yrs have been achieved a educationally based project on ‘learning to drive’. This included a practical and theory based assessment.
• 10 young girls achieved a ‘AQA achievement’ in Dance Performance. They also performed for BBC Match of the Day community programme.
• 22 young people have attended an adventure day organised to replace residential weekends.
• 15 juniors have gone on to play football competitively within tournament based sessions-against other teams.
• 23 young men (seniors) have gone played in competitively in tournaments against other teams/projects.
• 15 young people have been identified to take the FA level 1 Award Course from the summer holidays.
• We have seen two young girls participate in volunteering during the summer- they are now about to take a Level 1 in Youth Work.
• 5 young people from the project have become volunteers on the programme.
• More than 50% of girls involved in the project have noticed an increase in their confidence.
• Two new clubs/opportunities are being created (Performing Arts & 3-on-3 football league)

In addition

• 15 young people (Seniors-16+) have attended a football event in Brighton and won the first national tournament.

Although over the past 10 months of existences we have been working in partnership with local authorities ensuring it complements their crime reduction strategies and jointly and in consultation with local authority sports development, education, housing services, youth offending teams, the police, schools, the local community and resident’s associations ensuring the best possible value to young people, residents and businesses and the regeneration of deprived communities. Its quotes of approvals & support are testimony to its value.

Funders

'I have been impressed by how quickly Positive Futures in Kingston has established high levels of contact through sport with young people who live on the estate where the project is based'

'Positive Futures is a key partner in the local youth crime prevention strategy and is obviously beginning to make a difference to the lives of increasing number of young people'

'Positive Futures in Kingston has just celebrated its first birthday and I look forward to the project building on its early success by developing its youth work programmes informed by the recently published national research about what works best'  Grahame Snelling, Strategic Manager Youth Support Services, Kingston upon Thames, Chair of Steering Group

By Young People on the Program

'It has been really good to come to the Dance/ Drama sessions at Positive Future's.

'Although you are learning to dance and act.. It is a place where you can also just come and Talk with friends'' aged 11.

'It is good at Positive Futures as the program is for young people like myself to participate in not just sports but also learn something new. I am now on my Level 1 youth certificate and volunteering, where my self esteem has been developed'' aged 16. 

The project targets:

• Young people aged ten to 19 years
• Young People who live within or around the Cambridge Road and Gardens estate in Kingston.
• Young people at risk of social exclusion with limited opportunities
• Young people at risk of becoming involved in crime
• Young people with special needs
• Young people affected by drugs
• Young people who are victims of crime

Project Programmes

There are four main elements to the Positive Futures Project:

• Sports Estates Programme
• Education to Employment Programme / Skills4Life Project
• After Schools Clubs
• Young Women’s Development Programme