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), 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
1
First Name
Last Name
Pronouns
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
Greens vs Blues
Lead Organization Name
Dalmain Athletic Girls Football Club
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2011
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
Twitter - @DalmainGFC Facebook Dalmain Athletic GFC
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?
Environment & Sustainability
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
We will deliver a range of environmental actions, community work and sports activities for and with children and young people, working in partnership with local primary and secondary schools whilst identify existing, and if necessary creating, nationally recognised qualifications accredited through the AQA to recognise their contributions and learning and staging u11 Play Maker programme where the Greens take on the Blues.
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Enabling climate-resilient 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?
Lewisham has rich green and blue infrastructure. Our parks, currently top the Good Parks for London rankings, and network of rivers. Deptford Creek, uniquely allows direct, safe, organised low-tide access walking/wading into its tidal channel provided by Creekside Discovery Centre. However, with our abundance of rivers comes heightened flood risk. Our project seeks to support this by offering a range of locally delivered learning in primary schools and hands on learning in the community, where young people lead on actions to tackle two problems led by our Changemaker supported by Winning Post. 1. Litter and the effects this has on green and blue spaces, where participants will help creating habitats for wild-life through projects in partnership with existing community groups who are part of Lewisham Biodiversity partnership. 2. Creating flood attenuation in green spaces e.g. creating rain gardens and learning about Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Dalmain School is due to have SUDs created allowing , our learning partner, to create AQA qualifications as part of the project. These project will amplify the voices of young people and encourage active citizenship where young leaders are champions of change within their communities. Each projects will have impact by building awareness, undertaking direct action promoting children's agency and pester power for change.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Working with schools, our project will link learning and accreditation through experiential opportunities. Young people will carryout voluntary work in local communities which links learning to potential vocations through visits, taster session and informal talks from young people who have start their careers including our Changemaker . Our partnerships with council departments, their contractors, as well as a range of community volunteer led projects in parks, schools and in our rivers, provide a wealth opportunity for action on climate change. Activities will be co-designed and incorporate physical activity and sports; such as carrying out a litter pick in a green space, undertaking learning which highlights and raise awareness of plastics in the ocean (Eco Warrior course) gaining a nationally recognised qualification. After this the young people will have the opportunity to engage in physical activity such as taking part in a football tournament or use of gym activity in the park. Some schools will use the qualification gained towards exam gradings and, potentially could lead to future employment. Young people will be able to access references affirming their their work and contribution in their community. Our Changemaker wrote I want be involved because it gives me the opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment, both in general and especially where I grew up. Protecting the environment is extremely important to me. I believe it is one of the biggest issues in modern life, yet often overlooked whether due to inconvenience, as many environmentally friendly choices require extra effort, or simply because people are not always aware of the small actions they can take to help. I also want to take what I learn into my studies; greening Event Management.
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?
By engaging with schools and local community groups the model allows scalability and flexibility, for instance our partnership with Manor House Gardens Park Big Bed Rescue set in a popular park. On hearing about the potential opportunity to engage with the Changemaker and local children the Friends of Manor House Garden extended their project to clear and replant a large bed needing renovation. They have set about raising funds to include a range of activities to attract pollinators. Glendale will clear the bed, replace soil and plant shade-loving shrubs as part of their CSR. Their work will be supported by volunteers from The Friends of Manor House Garden and Lee Green (WI) who will, in turn, support the children to increase biodiversity by creating bug hotels and other habitats. In addition we have opportunity to explore and undertake activity the river in the park. Whilst undertaking a litter pick on an estate next to their school a group of children interacted with local residents. As they talked, the residents wanted to get involved and work with them. Newstead Estate Residents Association and the Incommon Intergenerational Charity. The project is aimed at increasing residents and children's knowledge of planting, garden maintenance, growing vegetables and recycling. The project will include 3 AQA courses for the pupils to achieve. The courses have been carefully selected for them to gain a holistic knowledge to enable them to participate in the development, progress and sustainability of this project. Currently the children are undertaking composting and recycling throughout St Winifred's school and will be instigating their learning by working with the residents of Newstead Estate. This will not only improve the estate, but allow the children to take a lead role
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? 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?
As state previously, Lewisham has significant flood risk from three main rivers and their tributaries and has worked with the Environment Agency to create a River Corridor Improvement Plan and a Supplementary Planning Document with guidance on flood alleviation and ecological improvements. The aims of the document includes; To engage local communities in flood prone areas and to encourage appropriate action and improve the overall water quality and river health. Our Biodiversity Partnership supports a network of small groups who undertake river clean-up and other activities such as bat walks and species surveys meaning that we can call on volunteers who are keen to support learning. There is AQA course in River Maintenance and many courses around the environment, so that delivery can be tailored to interest of each cohort. There is also the option of designing our own tailormade courses to be submitted to the AQA. In addition to the above, Dalmain School has implemented a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) project, completed in 2024. The project features over 80m² of new planting, 10 rainwater planters, and a rain garden, which together manage runoff from 1,300m² of tarmac and roof area so we will seek to create learning materials and a qualification. Other aspects of the plan include opportunities for walking and cycling on existing routes, such as the Waterlink Way and Route 21. By involving children in the maintenance through litter picking and maintenance they will have a stake in the space and want to share with family and friends for, as we know, pester power is a very powerful thing. With global warming, rising sea levels and the impact of plastics together with growing populations it is vital that the next generation grows up being climate literate.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
We will work in ten schools with each school to receive 4 x free AQA courses over a 10 month period, including free Girls football coaching leading to an invitation to participate in the GREEN vs BLUES CUP TOURNAMENT. At the same time we will co-produce local activities with the learners, identifying or creating the qualifications in response to the Mayor of London's Superzones funding in the north of the borough and the SuDS at Dalmain School. This model allows groups to take small actions that have a direct and visible impact their community, engendering confidence and stewardship of space in the public realm. Our intergenerational model allows young people to lead projects giving them agency in their neighbourhood, whilst learning informally and formally celebrating achievement. The AQA framework allows us to capture their learning in an active, fun way that is relevant to the tasks undertaken. With this learning young peoples' confidence thrives and by building partnership with local climate activists we build community cohesion leading to mutual understanding, breaking down stereotypes. The football tournaments help to engender a feeling of being part of a bigger picture fostering team work, building confidence, healthy rivalry and well-being. Lewisham Council will work the project leads to showcase what actions each team has undertaken and to celebrate learning with family and friends give the participants to present there work at celebratory events. We will also work with the Libraries Service to create an exhibition to bring their work to a wider audience. All activities are co-designed and imagination is encouraged with an emphasis on trying and acknowledging that things don't always work but this is how we learn.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Dalmain Athletic GFC ~ Lead Organisation provider. Winning Post Arts and Sports Services ~AQA accredited learning centre no.83715 D and G Sports run the Lewisham School Sports Partnership ~ running football tournaments and training for Changemaker as tutor and deliver the u11 Play Maker training programme. Lewisham Parks Team ~ Glendale will provide equipment and expertise, ensuring healthy and safety throughout session in the parks. Lewisham Bio-diversity Partnership ~ a coalition consisting of key members and a variety of local, voluntary, and "Friends" groups: expertise and opportunities to learn and explore new habitats in Lewisham green and blue spaces. Friends of Manor Park Gardens and WI ~ partners in the Big Garden Bed Rescue part funded from NCIL. Local children will be involved in creating new habitats for pollinators. Lewisham Young Mayor's Team ~ promotion Lewisham Young Mayor's Climate Action Sub Group ~ leadership, support and expertise. Lewisham Council Community Development Team ~ linking in other opportunities for partnership across the borough.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization 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?
Lewisham is a borough where children and young people are encouraged to have a voice and influence in their community. As I am writing this, children aged 11~17 are casting votes for the 22nd Young Mayor. We will work with the Young Mayor and their advisers (young people from our borough) to identify their actions on Climate Change linking these into the programme. In addition we will work with Radio Lewisham (a project set up by a former Young Mayor) covering projects being delivered, as well as advertise opportunities for people to get involved. Project partner D and G Sports run the Lewisham School Sports Partnership, they run 15 events per academic year, Our Changemaker Cormac, our Changemaker will be trained up to organise this timetable. Where we have open sessions groups can submit their events to We Are Lewisham and we will add them (they are automatically deleted once the end date has passed). Since we started to pull the bid together we have been overwhelmed by the number of people in our community stepping up to be a partner involved in the delivery (and even offering to seek additional funding) to ensure that our young people can become confident community leaders. During the preparation of the bid we needed to upscale the delivery plan twice due to requests to be involved. From day one we would work with the Community Fundraisers to create a sustainable plan.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
Project partner D and G Sports run the Lewisham School Sports Partnership, they run 15 events per academic year, Cormac will be trained up to organise this timetable of events, officiate at each one, plus they will train him up to be a tutor and deliver the u11 Play Maker training programme.
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 (LINK).
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