My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered legal entity
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Tajean
Last Name
Hutton
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
AFC Wembley Foundation
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2019
Initiative Title
Block Project
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.afcwembley.com/foundation
Initiative Stage
Pilot-Stage (The first activities have happened, and you have proof of concept)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Transforming unused green spaces in council estates to leisure spaces for recreational football programmes.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
22% of children in Brent currently live in poverty. Access to affordable extra curricular activity in Brent is becoming a growing problem due to inflation. Over 1000 young people in Brent are involved with Gang criminality. 80% of which are from African Caribbean backgrounds. This makes up a large proportion of the young people living in Council estates/deprived areas in Brent. A lack of youth provision has contributed to a rise in anti-social behaviour. 41% of children in year 6 in Brent are overweight or obese AFC Wembley Foundation has been serving the local community since 2019 and is the charity arm AFC Wembley Football Club who have been serving the community since 2007. We pride ourselves on remaining on the ground and providing provisions that help with the development of the roughest parts of our community,
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
A vast majority of the council estates in Brent have unused green spaces or at a bare minimum Multi-use games areas (MUGA's). If the stats are showing - An increase in obesity (which indicates a lack of physical activity) - Increase in unsocial behaviour and - increase in youth living in poverty, then a clear and obvious solution is the introduction to weekly physical activity (addressing the obesity programme), hosted on their doorstep (to eliminate the cost of travel and inflated programme costs) and have the sessions be delivered by young people who are from the same estates whereby they deliver (to combat an increase in youth criminality via peer mentorship). A majority of these spaces are owned by Brent Council. We have evidence of working with Brent Council to obtain use of these unused spaces of recreational purposes.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Engaging with residents of these council estates directly is key to the success of the project. We engage with young people in 2 key ways: 1. The development of local mentors. Young people will be qualified, DBS checked and guided in the framework of being an influential mentor to young people from their local areas. 2. Participants (aged 7-11 years old) will be regularly consulted regarded the service they're being given. Service delivery must constantly evolve in alignment with the wants and needs of the young people.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
During previous delivery we discovered a major increase in community cohesion simply through the delivery of outdoor provisions. Council estates are rich in character both in aesthetics and personal. We found that creating a space where young people can come out in large numbers to engage with each other outdoors, on the estate itself created a real community feel of togetherness which is steadily reducing across Londons most deprived areas. Some key outputs through this include: 1 session/week each (80 sessions/year total). 40 weekly participants per council estate 60% attend 20+ sessions in a season. This equates to 60% of participants attending a minimum of half of the sessions per season Minimum 4 coaches enrolled. Each completes FA CPD module + safeguarding/first aid training. 100% of coaches achieve baseline certification
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
There is no lack of football activity within Brent, however elitism in rapidly becoming the dominant factor for its delivery. Young people who have the desire to play for fun, mental health reasons and general development are generally being shunned for the sake of elite football provision aimed at those who are deemed as 'more talented'. As a result sessions are being delivered at all weather 4G pitches at an inflated costs that completely eliminates the prospect of those from lower income households. Delivery free footballing provision within 2 minute walk of your place of residence, delivered by qualified coaches who also live locally is a USP that only benefits residents of these estates.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
Year 1. 2 estates engaged. 1 session/week each (80 sessions/year total). 40 weekly participants. 60% attend 20+ sessions in a season. This equates to 60% of participants attending a minimum of half of the sessions per season. Year 2. 3 estates engaged. 1 session/week each (120 sessions/year). 60 weekly participants. Run 2 participant/parent surveys annually, 50% positive response. 10 young people referred to other activities delivered by partner organisations Year 3. 4 estates engaged. 1 session/week each (160 sessions/year). 80 weekly participants. 70% positive response on surveys. 20 young people referred externally to partner organisation provision
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
This programme will be delivered mainly in collaboration with Brent council who own the grounds that will be used. This will be to assure access and upkeeping of the spaces used. The programme itself with have a programme coordinator who will oversee the general running of the programme. Feeding into this person will be the contracted coaches whose sole responsibility will be to the deliver the sessions on the ground.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Timelines will all be depending on the approval of funding. The following is an overview of the duration it will take to confirm elements of the programmes delivery: - Coach onboarding - 2 months - Facility hire/usage - 1 month - Community outreach/marketing - 1 month
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
TIme attendance (depending on programme delivery days and times) Travel and accommodation - If required in person
