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
Stuart
Last Name
Hogg
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.
South Bank University Academy
Lead Organisation Name
South Bank University Academy
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2014
Initiative Title
Getting Match Fitter
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.southbankua.org.uk/
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
A youth-led pilot that reimagines the Burgess Park rugby pitch as an inclusive, flexible space for sport and play, engaging young people least likely to access traditional provision.
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?
In Southwark, many children and young people remain physically inactive despite the presence of publicly funded sports facilities. For teenagers in particular, traditional park-based provision can feel intimidating, overly structured or “not for them”, meaning valuable spaces such as sports pitches are under-used by those who would benefit most. This is especially true for young people aged 14–18, girls and those from communities with lower participation in organised sport, where confidence, belonging and informal access are significant barriers. This initiative addresses the gap between the existence of sports spaces and their meaningful use by reimagining how a publicly owned rugby pitch at Burgess Park can be activated in inclusive, flexible and youth-led ways. The primary beneficiaries are young people who are least likely to access sports clubs or formal park provision, alongside families who face barriers related to cost, confidence or lack of welcoming entry points. Our proximity to this challenge is direct and ongoing. Through our Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme, we work weekly with young people in Southwark who are disengaged from mainstream sport, giving us first-hand insight into why existing spaces are avoided and what conditions enable participation. This is further informed by our forthcoming Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot, which extends this learning into a family and community setting. Solving this problem matters to us because we see daily the impact that welcoming, well-designed spaces can have on young people’s confidence, wellbeing and long-term engagement in physical activity.
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?
Our approach is rooted in a simple insight: the issue is not the absence of sports spaces, but how they are perceived, programmed and accessed by young people. Through our ongoing delivery of the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme, we have seen that many young people avoid parks and formal pitches not due to lack of interest in being active, but because these spaces feel intimidating, overly structured or disconnected from their confidence and social needs. Our “aha” moment came from seeing engagement increase when activities were informal, flexible and youth-led, even in modest or non-traditional spaces. This initiative applies that learning to reimagine the Burgess Park rugby pitch as a flexible, welcoming space for sport and play, activated through light-touch programming rather than physical change. Timed, inclusive sessions and co-designed delivery help reduce barriers such as cost, exclusivity and fear of judgement, creating clearer entry points for young people least likely to engage in traditional provision. Landowners and decision-making stakeholders play a key enabling role. Southwark Council, as owner and manager of Burgess Park, provides the framework that allows this pilot to operate safely within an existing public asset. Our approach strengthens connections between youth providers, park management and local delivery partners, unlocking the space collaboratively. By building on trusted relationships through GMF and our forthcoming Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot, we connect young people to a public space that already exists but is not yet working for them, prioritising access, relevance and belonging.
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 central to the design, delivery and ongoing refinement of this initiative, not just its participants. Our approach builds on established relationships through the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme, where we work weekly with young people in Southwark who are disengaged from traditional sport. Through GMF, young people already shape session formats, timings and activities through informal feedback, peer discussion and trial-and-adapt delivery, ensuring provision reflects their interests, confidence levels and social needs. This co-creation will be formalised through the Burgess Park pilot by involving young people as co-designers and activators of the space. They will contribute to decisions about when the pitch feels most welcoming, what activities should be prioritised, and how sessions are structured to reduce intimidation and encourage participation. Selected participants will take on peer leadership roles, supporting delivery, welcoming new participants and acting as trusted connectors between the programme and the wider community. Community involvement is further strengthened through our forthcoming Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot, which engages parents and carers alongside young people. Learning from this work will directly inform how the Burgess Park sessions are delivered, ensuring activities are accessible to families and responsive to local needs. By embedding young people and families in decision-making and delivery, the initiative is built around the community it serves, creating shared ownership of the space and increasing the likelihood of sustained use beyond the pilot period.Y oung people will also help shape the tone, language and atmosphere of sessions, ensuring the space feels welcoming rather than formal or exclusionary.
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?
Our initiative unlocks access to existing public sports spaces for young people who currently do not use them, creating immediate participation and longer-term behaviour change. Through the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme, we have already engaged over 50 young people in Southwark who were previously disengaged from traditional sport, demonstrating clear demand for informal, welcoming physical activity when barriers such as cost, intimidation and rigid structure are removed. In the short term, the Burgess Park pilot will activate the rugby pitch outside of existing bookings, increasing access for young people aged 14–18 and families least likely to participate. Outputs will include regular programmed sessions, youth-led activation of the space, and increased attendance and repeat participation. Learning from the Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot will further strengthen family and community engagement. In the medium term, impact will include improved confidence in using public parks independently, stronger social connection, and sustained participation beyond structured sessions. By supporting young people as co-designers and peer leaders, the initiative builds shared ownership of the space and reduces reliance on ongoing external delivery. Longer term, the project offers a replicable model for reimagining under-used sports pitches across Southwark and London. By working within existing council-owned infrastructure, the approach enables scale without capital investment. Impact will be evidenced through participation numbers, retention rates and progression into leadership roles, supporting deep-rooted change in how public spaces are accessed and used over time.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
What differentiates this initiative is that it focuses on reimagining how existing public sports spaces are accessed and experienced by young people, rather than creating new facilities or programmes. Many current approaches aim to increase participation within traditional club or park models; our approach tackles the root issue that these spaces often feel exclusive, intimidating or “not for us” to young people who are least likely to be active. The innovation lies in treating a publicly owned rugby pitch as a flexible, community-led space rather than a fixed, single-sport asset. Through light-touch programming and youth co-design, the space is activated in ways that feel welcoming, informal and relevant, shifting it from something that is booked and controlled to something shaped by its users. This represents a change in how access, power and decision-making operate within public sports infrastructure. Our approach is also innovative in how it connects systems that are usually separate. By linking learning from the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme and the Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot, and applying this insight to a high-visibility public park, we create a pathway from informal engagement to sustained use of public space. Young people act not only as participants, but as co-designers and peer activators, influencing how the space is used and who feels able to access it. By working within existing council-owned infrastructure and partnerships, the model enables rapid testing and replication without capital investment, shifting local norms around who public sports spaces are for and how they are used.
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?
This initiative is designed to be viable, sustainable and scalable by working within existing infrastructure, partnerships and delivery capacity rather than relying on new facilities or long-term capital investment. In the short term, success is supported by established programmes, experienced staff and trusted relationships developed through the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme and our Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot. These provide a ready participant base, tested delivery models and ongoing feedback, reducing operational risk. Operational sustainability is built through light-touch programming, shared use of council-owned space and progressive involvement of young people as peer leaders and activators, reducing reliance on continuous external staffing over time. By embedding the approach within existing park management and community sport systems, the initiative is designed to continue beyond the pilot period with minimal additional resource. Scaling the initiative focuses on replication rather than expansion. The Burgess Park pilot will act as a demonstration site, generating practical learning, simple delivery frameworks and evidence of impact that can be applied to other under-used sports pitches across Southwark and London. Growth would be supported through partnerships with local authorities, community sport providers and youth organisations, rather than through centralised delivery. To support scale, we are actively building relationships with council teams, local delivery partners and funders, and using existing pilots to test and refine the model. With modest additional funding and strategic support, this approach can be adapted to new locations quickly, enabling broader impact while maintaining quality, relevance and community ownership.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Delivery of the initiative is shared across a small, committed partnership, with clear and complementary roles. Our core delivery team leads the design, coordination and day-to-day delivery of the pilot, drawing on established experience through the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme. This includes programme management, safeguarding, youth engagement, session delivery and ongoing learning and evaluation. The team is also responsible for embedding youth voice and ensuring activities remain inclusive, informal and responsive to participant feedback. Young people involved through GMF play an active role beyond participation. They contribute to co-designing session formats, advising on timings and atmosphere, and supporting delivery as peer leaders and activators. Their involvement ensures the initiative remains grounded in lived experience and relevant to those the project aims to serve. Southwark Council, as the owner and manager of Burgess Park, plays a critical enabling role by providing access to the space, oversight of appropriate use, and alignment with existing park management and safeguarding frameworks. This ensures the pilot operates safely and legitimately within a public asset. Community partners involved in the Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot contribute insight into family engagement, inclusive delivery and community-based approaches. Learning from this work informs how the Burgess Park sessions are structured and how families and carers are welcomed into the space. Together, these shared responsibilities ensure the initiative is collaborative, well-governed and rooted in local knowledge, with each partner contributing distinct expertise to successful delivery.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
The initiative will be delivered through a phased approach, allowing for learning, adaptation and growth. Phase 1: Preparation and alignment (Months 1–2) Key milestones include securing in-principle approval for use of the Burgess Park rugby pitch, confirming delivery schedules around existing bookings, and formalising partnerships. During this phase, young people engaged through the Getting Match Fit (GMF) programme will be involved in shaping session formats, timings and the overall feel of the pilot. Phase 2: Pilot delivery and testing (Months 3–6) The Burgess Park pilot will launch with regular, light-touch programmed sessions focused on inclusive sport and play. Milestones include the delivery of weekly sessions, youth-led activation of the space, and integration of learning from the Old Kent Road Family Zone pilot to support family and community engagement. Ongoing feedback from participants will inform iterative improvements. Phase 3: Review and refinement (Months 6–7) This phase will focus on reviewing participation data, retention, and qualitative feedback from young people, families and partners. Learning will be consolidated into a clear delivery model, identifying what works best to unlock access and sustain engagement. Phase 4: Growth and replication planning (Months 8–12) Based on pilot learning, milestones include refining the model for replication, strengthening partnerships with local authorities and delivery organisations, and identifying additional sites where the approach could be applied. This phase positions the initiative for scale and longer-term sustainability beyond the initial pilot.
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 require dedicated staff time and associated support costs that are not currently resourced within our core delivery funding. To ensure meaningful engagement, we would seek support for the following costs directly linked to programme participation: Staff time / backfill – £6,000 Release of key staff to attend workshops, mentoring sessions and programme activities (approximately 2 days per week over 8 weeks), including cover for delivery responsibilities during this period. Travel and subsistence – £1,000 Reasonable travel costs to attend in-person sessions, meetings or events associated with the programme. Programme participation costs – £1,500 Required materials, digital tools, software subscriptions or resources needed to fully engage in workshops, collaboration sessions and learning activities. Care or accessibility support – £1,500 Support costs that enable full participation in the programme, such as childcare or accessibility-related expenses linked to attendance. Total indicative cost: £10,000
