South Yorkshire’s football clubs team up to help deprived youngsters

The community sports trusts of Sheffield United, Wednesday, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham are working together for the first time alongside South Yorkshire Police to deliver the You’re Only Young Once (YOYO) programme.

It comes as it emerged children as young as 11 were involved in knife crime in the county last year. The project aims to engage with young people aged 10 to 19 through sport, with sessions taking place across the county every night of the week. They will give youngsters a healthy activity to participate in of an evening and the opportunity to engage with trusted adults.

The sessions will also feature educational workshops covering some of the issues young people face, including child criminal exploitation, domestic abuse, alcohol and drugs misuse and online safety.

Rachel Staniforth, joint head of the South Yorkshire violence reduction unit said: “It is extremely important young people understand the dangers of carrying a knife, how it could be used against them and that most young people do not carry a knife.”

The Premier League are coordinating the initiative through their Kicks programme and the sessions will be free to attend.

South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, who funded the first phase of the scheme, said it will benefit young people in more deprived communities.

He added: “These diversionary activities will provide an opportunity for many young people to channel their energies safely and learn and participate in sport.

“Not only can they gain new skills, but there is also an educational aspect that provides skills and knowledge to help them avoid being drawn into an involvement with criminality or anti-social behaviour.”

Participants will take part in tournaments and have the opportunity to meet professional players and win free tickets to matches.

Trudi Race, inclusion manager at Rotherham United Community Sports Trust said: “This type of initiative is exactly what South Yorkshire needs. Young people today have a lot to contend with and YOYO Sport will provide a safe platform to engage and inspire young people to achieve their full potential and make positive choices.”

Chris Bailey, head of foundation at Sheffield United Community Foundation, added: “I believe by working together, in conjunction with the South Yorkshire violence reduction unit and police and crime commissioner, we can create further sustainable and impactful change across South Yorkshire for our young people using the iconic brands of our football clubs, which have been the cornerstone of our communities for decades."

Ben Winter, Sheffield Wednesday community programme health and inclusion manager, said: “The YOYO Sport initiative will provide many young people with the opportunity to take part in open-access activity, alternative forms of education and realise pathways into future opportunities.”

The sessions are currently postponed due to Covid-19, but will start once government guidance allows and it is safe to do so.

For more information visit www.yoyosport.co.uk.