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 UK entity and has a London-based address.
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
Karuna Claire
Last Name
Pereira
Pronouns
She/Her
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
Community Sparks Change
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2021
Initiative Title
Unlock the Game
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://communitysparkschange.org/
Initiative Stage
Growth (You’ve moved past the very first activities; working towards the next level of expansion.)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Community Sparks Change reimagines underused community spaces across London as youth-led, inclusive sport and play hubs that remove economic, cultural and structural barriers to participation.
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?
Across London, many young people—particularly those from low-income, racially minoritised and migrant backgrounds—are excluded from sport and physical activity spaces. Facilities exist, but they are often unaffordable, culturally unwelcoming, oversubscribed, or controlled by decision-makers who do not reflect the communities they serve. Girls, disabled young people, and those who have experienced school exclusion are especially likely to disengage. In our local area, we see unused estates, community halls and school spaces sitting empty after hours, while young people gather in parks with no structured, safe provision. Cost-of-living pressures mean families cannot afford club fees, kit or travel. Young people tell us they feel judged, unsafe, or “not good enough” to join traditional clubs. Community Sparks Change was founded by local residents and youth workers who grew up here. We are embedded in the community—we mentor, coach and support the same young people we now seek to engage. Solving this matters because exclusion from sport is not just about activity; it impacts confidence, mental health, social connection and future opportunity. The young people who benefit most are those currently locked out of mainstream provision and decision-making.
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?
We transform underused local spaces—such as community halls, school playgrounds, housing estate courtyards, and faith venues—into youth‑led sport and play hubs. Rather than building new facilities, we unlock existing ones by forming trust‑based partnerships with landowners, local authorities, and housing associations. We negotiate low‑ or no‑cost access in exchange for structured programming, safeguarding, and community stewardship. Our “aha” moment came when young people said, “The space is there—we’re just not allowed in.” This made us realise that the challenge was not the absence of facilities but the absence of power and permission. We address structural barriers by removing participation fees, providing equipment, co‑designing sessions with young people, and hiring relatable local coaches. We prioritise culturally relevant activities—such as street football, dance, multi‑sport, girls‑only sessions, and disability‑inclusive play—scheduled at times that work for young people. By acting as a bridge between communities and decision‑makers, we shift power so that young people can help shape timetables, rules, and design. This creates welcoming spaces that feel genuinely owned by the community, rather than imposed on them.
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?
Young people are not participants in our model—they are co‑creators. We run listening sessions, youth forums, and street outreach to understand barriers and test ideas before launching provision. Our Youth Steering Group (ages 14–21) helps design programmes, choose activities, shape codes of conduct, and even co‑facilitate sessions. We recruit and train young leaders from the community as peer coaches, referees, and ambassadors, creating pathways into paid roles. This not only builds employability skills but also ensures that our provision reflects lived experience. For example, girls in our group co‑designed female‑only sessions with flexible dress codes and music selected by participants, directly addressing cultural and confidence barriers. We also work closely with parents, faith leaders, schools, and tenant associations to build trust and visibility. Community members help identify underused spaces and advocate to local gatekeepers. By placing young people closest to the problem at the heart of the solution, we strengthen ownership and sustainability. They influence decisions around space use, scheduling, and safeguarding, ensuring that sport becomes a shared community resource rather than a top‑down service.
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?
Since launching our pilot, we have engaged over 200 young people across Lambeth, with consistent weekly attendance and strong retention. Participation includes a balanced mix of boys and girls, many of whom were previously not involved in any structured sport or physical activity. A significant proportion of the young people we reach face multiple barriers, including low household income, risk of school exclusion, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). More than half of participants had not been attending any sports provision before joining us. Through free access, the provision of equipment, and a welcoming, non‑competitive environment, we have achieved return rates of over 80%. This demonstrates that when barriers are removed, engagement naturally follows. Young people report increased confidence, stronger peer relationships, and improved wellbeing. Teachers and parents have noticed improved behaviour and better school attendance among regular attendees. Importantly, we have successfully negotiated access to four previously underused spaces, proving that unlocking existing infrastructure is both achievable and cost‑effective. Our model demonstrates depth through consistent attendance and leadership pathways, speed through the activation of spaces within weeks once agreements are secured, and scale potential through replicable partnerships with other landowners. Long‑term, we envision a network of youth‑powered sport hubs across London, reducing anti‑social behaviour, improving mental health outcomes, and embedding young people in decision‑making about the use of public space.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
What makes our initiative different is that we focus on shifting power, not just delivering sessions. Many programmes add new activities; we change who controls space. Our innovation lies in three areas: 1. Unlocking, not building – We reimagine overlooked, underused community assets rather than waiting for new facilities. 2. Youth governance – Young people help shape access agreements, codes of conduct and programming, influencing how space is managed. 3. Bridge‑building model – We act as trusted intermediaries between communities and the council, reducing perceived risk and creating shared accountability. We tackle root causes—cost, representation, cultural exclusion and gatekeeping—rather than surface‑level inactivity. By embedding leadership pathways and removing financial barriers, we challenge the norm that structured sport must be competitive, club‑based and expensive. Our approach shifts the narrative from “hard to reach young people” to “hard to access systems,” placing responsibility on structures rather than individuals.
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?
We are building sustainability through diversified partnerships, small‑grant funding, in‑kind space agreements, and the training of local volunteer leaders. By reducing facility hire costs through negotiated access, we keep delivery costs low and impact high. We are working to develop formal MOUs with housing associations and schools to secure longer‑term access to spaces. We are also building relationships with local businesses and community organisations to co‑fund equipment and coaching pathways. To scale, we will document our Unlocking Spaces Toolkit, which outlines our partnership model, youth engagement process, and safeguarding framework. This will support replication in other boroughs. Support from this grant would strengthen our organisational capacity, formalise partnerships, and enable expansion to three additional sites, positioning us for long‑term growth across the borough.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Founder / Project Lead: Responsible for strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and safeguarding oversight. Youth Engagement Lead: Leads outreach, youth forums, and co‑design facilitation. Coaches & Sessional Staff: Deliver programmes and provide mentoring to young people. Youth Steering Group: Contribute to programme design, offer peer leadership, and maintain feedback loops. Community Partners: Support with space access, local advocacy, and safeguarding collaboration.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Secure formal agreements for 4 new community spaces. Recruit and train 10 youth leaders. Launch 4 new weekly sessions (including girls-only and inclusive provision). Develop monitoring and evaluation framework. Publish Unlocking Spaces Toolkit. Expand to an additional borough within 12–18 months.
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.
Participation in the 8-week capacity-building programme would significantly strengthen our organisational infrastructure, partnerships and long-term sustainability. However, as a small, community-led organisation delivering weekly frontline provision, staff capacity is our greatest financial barrier. To fully engage in the programme without reducing access for young people, we would require support for the following: 1. Staff Backfill / Delivery Cover – £4,900 This is our highest cost. It would fund sessional youth workers and coaches to maintain weekly sport and inclusive play sessions while senior leaders attend training, mentoring and partnership meetings. 2. Governance & Leadership Development – £2,250 Strengthening board capacity, safeguarding oversight, youth governance structures and strategic planning to ensure responsible growth and long-term sustainability. 3. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Systems – £1,250 Enhancing our impact measurement systems, including SEND participation tracking and reporting tools to evidence scale, retention and outcomes. 4. Legal & Partnership Development – £1,000 Professional advice to formalise space-use agreements (MOUs/licences) with schools, housing associations and community landowners. 5. Travel & Participation Costs – £600 Transport and related costs to ensure consistent attendance across the 8-week programme without placing additional financial strain on the organisation.
