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
Sikiru
Last Name
Oshungbure
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.
Skills Development Training
Lead Organisation Name
Skills Development Training
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2017
Initiative Title
Hoops for Hope
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.skillsdevelopmenttraining.org
Initiative Stage
Scaling (You’re expanding impact to many new places or in many new ways)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Hoops for Hope is a youth-led basketball programme in Haringey that transforms underused community courts into vibrant hubs where up to 50 young people aged 11–18 develop basketball skills, leadership, and teamwork through weekly 2-hour sessions, gain accredited coaching and refereeing qualifications with three participants certified as coaches and three as referees who will run sessions and peer mentor others, and participate in a mini-league that allows young people to compete in structured matches, showcasing their development and building confidence, in addition to a Family Basketball Day where participants engage families and the community, creating inclusive social cohesion. This free, structured programme improves confidence, social skills, emotional resilience, and employability pathways, fills a critical gap in Haringey sports provision, and turns public courts into sustainable youth-led spaces for skill development, community engagement, and long-term social impact, with monitoring, evaluation, and content capture ensuring lessons learned inform future initiatives.
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?
Haringey has a significant gap in free, structured, youth-led sports opportunities, particularly basketball, for young people aged 11–18. Many local courts are underused or poorly supported, leaving youth without safe, engaging spaces to play, learn, and develop social and leadership skills. Young people from low-income backgrounds face rising risks of social isolation, disengagement from education, poor mental health, and limited pathways into employment or accredited skills programmes. Existing sports provision often focuses solely on training or general participation, without offering competitive opportunities or progression pathways, meaning many young people miss out on the confidence, teamwork, and motivation that comes from structured matches. Families also report a lack of inclusive, safe environments where they can meaningfully engage with their children. Through a Nov–Dec 2025 pilot, 22 young people trialled sessions and 19 expressed interest in a full-year programme. Parents and community members confirmed that accessible, high-quality basketball combined with leadership development and competitive play is desperately needed in Haringey, demonstrating both demand and social need. Hoops for Hope addresses these challenges by transforming underused courts into youth-led hubs with weekly sessions, a mini-league, accredited coaching and refereeing pathways, peer mentoring, and a Family Basketball Day. This approach tackles both social and employment inequalities, creating opportunities for youth, families, and the wider Haringey community that would otherwise not exist.
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?
Hoops for Hope addresses the lack of free, structured basketball opportunities in Haringey by transforming underused community courts into vibrant, youth-led hubs that combine skill development, leadership training, and competitive play. Weekly 2-hour sessions provide hands-on coaching for up to 50 young people, with a mini-league giving participants the chance to compete, build confidence, and celebrate achievement beyond practice alone. The programme also integrates accredited coaching and refereeing pathways, creating a pipeline where three participants will become certified coaches and three certified referees, running sessions, officiating matches, and mentoring peers, ensuring sustainability and youth leadership. Our approach removes structural barriers by offering all activities free of charge, providing a fully accessible venue, and embedding sessions in a location approved by the local authority and community stakeholders, who have supported access to public courts and endorse the programme. Recruitment is targeted at youth from schools, youth hubs, and networks with limited access to structured sports. The idea arose from our pilot in November–December 2025, where 22 young people participated and provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. The “aha” moment came when we observed how much peer mentoring, structured competition, and leadership opportunities increased engagement, confidence, and social cohesion — demonstrating that basketball could be a vehicle not just for physical activity, but for community transformation, employability, and long-term personal growth. By combining inclusive access, structured play, leadership pathways, and community engagement, Hoops for Hope reimagines Haringey’s public courts as sustainable, youth-led spaces
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?
Hoops for Hope is co-created with Haringey young people to ensure the programme addresses local needs and provides real-life pathways into leadership, education, and employment. The idea grew from a November–December 2025 pilot, where 22 young people participated in basketball sessions and 19 expressed interest in a full-year programme. Feedback from participants directly shaped the programme structure, mini-league format, session activities, and the Family Basketball Day. Already, two unofficial coaches from the pilot cohort are supporting the head coach, mentoring peers and helping run sessions. This project formalises these roles, enabling participants to gain accredited coaching and refereeing qualifications, providing both employability skills and leadership experience. By doing so, young people move from participants to leaders, shaping the delivery of the programme and creating opportunities for peer mentorship. A Youth Steering Council of 12 young people and parents will meet quarterly to review progress, refine the mini-league, co-design the Family Basketball Day, and advise on recruitment and session accessibility. Local schools, youth hubs, and families are also engaged, providing insight into community needs and helping recruit participants who would otherwise lack access to structured sports. Through these mechanisms, Hoops for Hope places young people at the centre of decision-making, embedding ownership, leadership, and employability into a free, inclusive programme. Participants gain skills that extend beyond sport into education, career pathways, and community leadership, ensuring the project creates lasting, transformative impact for youth and families in Haringey.
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?
Hoops for Hope is already demonstrating tangible impact in Haringey, transforming underused courts into youth-led hubs for basketball, leadership, and accredited skill development. Weekly 2-hour sessions now engage up to 50 young people, with the pilot showing 19 of 22 participants committed to continue. Participation in the mini-league has significantly boosted engagement: youth are excited to compete, regularly attend sessions, and are beginning to explore joining local competitive teams. Hard evidence of impact includes: five young participants have expressed interest in gaining formal coaching qualifications, two are already acting as unofficial assistant coaches, and the programme has seen a 20% increase in girls participating, demonstrating improved inclusivity. Participants have actively co-designed the project, including creating a team kit, giving them ownership and pride in the programme. The Youth Steering Council of 12 young people and parents is actively shaping activities and has begun co-designing a Family Basketball Day in July, fostering family engagement and community cohesion. In addition to social and emotional benefits, Hoops for Hope delivers measurable progression outcomes. Attendance rates have increased steadily across all sessions, confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills are being tracked via pre- and post-programme surveys, and the mini-league provides structured opportunities to apply skills in competitive, supportive settings. Long-term, Hoops for Hope is establishing a replicable, sustainable model, turning public courts into youth-managed hubs that support participation, progression, and employability. Through structured training, accredited qualifications, peer mentoring, and family engagement
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Hoops for Hope is unique in Haringey because it combines youth-led sport, accredited skill pathways, and community engagement in a single, sustainable programme — an approach not seen in local basketball provision. Unlike standard youth sports programmes that focus solely on participation or casual training, Hoops for Hope integrates structured mini-leagues, peer mentoring, and formal coaching and refereeing qualifications, enabling young people to progress from participants to leaders, while also actively shaping the programme. Our innovation lies in reimagining public basketball courts as youth-led hubs. Rather than relying solely on conventional club structures or paid programmes, we leverage existing, underused spaces to deliver free, inclusive, structured, and socially impactful activities, turning neglected courts into vibrant community assets. Participants influence every aspect of the programme — from session content and team kit design, to steering group input on the Family Basketball Day — embedding ownership, leadership, and accountability. Hoops for Hope also directly addresses structural inequalities in sports access. By targeting young people from low-income backgrounds, creating a pathway into accredited qualifications, and building a peer-led coaching and refereeing network, the initiative tackles barriers to employability, leadership, and social cohesion. Its mini-league and Family Day components incentivise regular attendance, build confidence, and foster intergenerational community engagement — creating a new model of inclusive youth sport where social, educational, and career outcomes are interwoven with physical activity. In essence, Hoops for Hope is not just a sports programme — it’s a transformative social innovation,
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?
Hoops for Hope is structured from the ground up to be operationally sustainable and scalable. We have secured an accessible community venue in Haringey with the flexibility to run weekly 2-hour sessions and host mini-league matches and the Family Basketball Day. The programme is youth-led, with a confirmed Youth Steering Council of 12 young people and parents, and two pilot participants already acting as unofficial coaches, providing a foundation for peer-led delivery and succession planning. Operationally, the programme includes a full-time project coordinator overseeing scheduling, safeguarding, volunteer management, monitoring, and reporting, while our accredited coaches and referees will mentor peers, ensuring sessions are delivered consistently and at high quality. Monitoring tools including attendance records, mini-league results, pre- and post-programme wellbeing surveys, and feedback from participants and families will track outcomes, providing clear evidence of impact and areas for refinement. The programme is designed to scale in multiple ways. Once the model is proven in Haringey, we can expand to other underused courts in neighbouring boroughs, replicating the youth-led coaching and refereeing framework. Mini-leagues can grow to inter-community competitions, providing further engagement and leadership opportunities. By building accredited pathways into coaching, refereeing, and leadership, participants leave the programme with skills and qualifications that are transferable into employment, volunteering, and education, creating long-term social and economic impact. Strategic partnerships with local schools, youth hubs, and sports organisations will support recruitment, mentoring, and visibility, while engagement with local authorities and landowners
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Hoops for Hope is delivered through a structured, collaborative team with clearly defined roles to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery: Project Coordinator (Full-time): Oversees all operational aspects, including scheduling, venue management, safeguarding, monitoring and evaluation, volunteer coordination, and reporting to funders. Acts as the central point of contact for participants, families, schools, and partners. Head Coach (Accredited): Leads weekly 2-hour basketball sessions, designs training plans, runs mini-league matches, and provides mentorship to aspiring coaches and referees. Responsible for maintaining session quality and tailoring activities for diverse skill levels. Peer Coaches (2–3 Young Participants): Pilot participants already assisting in sessions will gain formal coaching and refereeing qualifications during the programme. They will support delivery, mentor peers, and help lead mini-league games, embedding youth leadership into every session. Youth Steering Council (12 Participants & Parents): Meets quarterly to co-design activities, review progress, advise on recruitment, and plan the Family Basketball Day, ensuring the programme remains responsive to participants’ needs and aspirations. Families & Community Partners: Assist with recruitment, provide feedback on session accessibility, and support the Family Basketball Day, strengthening intergenerational connections and sustaining engagement. Content & Media Coordinator: Responsible for capturing high-quality photography and video during sessions and Family Basketball Day, supporting monitoring, reporting, and future promotional and sustainability efforts. This shared-responsibility model ensures operational efficiency, embeds youth leadership, and creates opportunities for participants to develop transferable skills in coaching, refereeing, mentoring, and event delivery. By distributing responsibilities across the team and community, Hoops for Hope ensures sustainability, high-quality delivery, and long-term impact for young people in Haringey.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Upcoming Milestones: Grant Award & Confirmation (Month 0) Secure funding and confirm project launch. Finalise venue booking and safeguarding approvals. Participant Recruitment & Community Engagement (Month 0–1) Open registration for 50 young people aged 11–18 through schools, youth hubs, and parent networks. Confirm Youth Steering Council of 12 participants and parents. Launch promotional campaign and outreach materials. Staff & Peer Coach Accreditation (Month 1–3) Formalise roles of two pilot peer coaches and enrol them in accredited coaching and refereeing training. Train additional support volunteers in safeguarding and session delivery. Programme Launch & Weekly Sessions (Month 1–12) Deliver weekly 2-hour basketball sessions for up to 50 participants, structured around skill-building, teamwork, and leadership. Peer coaches begin mentoring and assisting in sessions. Mini-League Introduction (Month 3–12) Launch structured mini-league to provide competitive opportunities, track progress, and increase engagement. Peer referees officiate matches, supporting leadership development. Encourage participants to explore local competitive teams. Family Engagement Activities (Month 6 & Month 12) Plan and deliver Family Basketball Days, co-designed with the Youth Steering Council, engaging families in skill-sharing, collaborative games, and community-building. Monitoring & Evaluation (Month 1–12, ongoing) Track attendance, participation, and engagement trends. Collect pre- and post-programme wellbeing surveys, mini-league results, and feedback from youth and families. Record coaching and refereeing progression for peer leaders. Project Review & Future Planning (Month 12) Analyse outcomes and learning to refine future cycles. Plan for scaling the programme to other boroughs or additional courts. These milestones ensure the programme is operationally feasible, participant-focused, and youth-led, while providing a clear path to measurable outcomes in skills development, leadership, employability, and community cohesion.
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.
Staff Time Cover Backfill for Project Coordinator to attend 8-week programme, including prep & follow-up, ensuring sessions run smoothly 8 weeks, 6 hrs/week = 48 hrs £30/hr £1,440 Peer Coach Support Additional hours for peer coaches to lead some sessions during coordinator attendance 8 weeks, 4 hrs/week = 32 hrs £15/hr £480 Travel & Accommodation Travel to programme venue, occasional overnight stays if required 8 trips £50/trip £400 Contingency Miscellaneous costs (meals, unforeseen expenses) Lump sum - £500
