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
Diop
Last Name
Evans
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
Star Player 4:13 Community Interest Company
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2025
Initiative Title
Star Player Active Hub: Transforming Spaces for Youth Sport & Wellbeing
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://starplayerltd.co.uk/eng/
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Our initiative will reimagine an unused local space into a trauma-informed, inclusive sports and play hub that supports children and young people, particularly those with SEND, SEMH needs, or facing adversity to feel safe, active and connected.
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?
Hounslow has a growing number of children who lack safe, welcoming and affordable places to be active. Many families live in high density housing with limited outdoor space, and young people often report feeling disconnected or unsafe in existing sports and play environments. Those with SEND, SEMH needs or trauma face the biggest barriers: mainstream sports settings can feel overwhelming, inaccessible or unequipped to support them. As a result, inactivity, low confidence and social isolation are increasing, particularly among children aged 7–16. At the same time, several community spaces in the borough are underused or not designed for inclusive play and physical activity. Parents, schools and local partners frequently tell us there are too few structured, supportive environments where young people can build friendships, regulate emotions, be active and feel a genuine sense of belonging. Star Player CIC is a newly formed, non-profit organisation, fully separate from Star Player Ltd. While the Ltd company delivers mainstream coaching and mentoring services, Star Player CIC exists specifically to address community inequalities and support disadvantaged and overlooked young people. The CIC reinvests all resources into community programmes and is closely connected to local families through outreach work, SEND support and multi-agency partnerships. We work daily with children who struggle with confidence, social anxiety, behaviour regulation and neurodiversity, and families repeatedly tell us they lack safe, inclusive spaces for their children. Our close connection to the community gives us a deep understanding of the problem and drives our commitment to creating a youth-centred sports and play space designed for those most at risk of being left behind.
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 to convert an underused community space in Hounslow into a safe, inclusive sports and play hub designed for children who cannot access mainstream provision. To unlock this space, we are building partnerships with local landowners, the council and community organisations. We are exploring underused halls or open spaces that can be repurposed and strengthening links with schools, youth services and SEND practitioners who consistently struggle to find appropriate, affordable spaces. Co-design is central to our approach: young people, families and local partners will help shape how the space is designed and how sessions run, ensuring the environment reflects their lived experience. The idea came directly from our frontline work. Young people repeatedly told us, “there’s nowhere for us to go,” and many shared that typical sports settings make them anxious. Our “aha” moment was seeing how they thrived in calm, structured environments during mentoring sessions. We realised the issue was not a lack of interest in sport, but a lack of spaces that feel safe. This insight led to the creation of Star Player CIC, a community-focused organisation fully separate from Star Player Ltd, with a mission to reduce inequalities and provide accessible, youth-centred spaces. By reimagining an unused site with trauma-informed, inclusive design, we aim to create a hub where overlooked young people can feel safe, active and connected.
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 and the community are involved at every stage of this initiative. Our approach is built on co production: the space, activities and overall environment are shaped directly by those who will use it most. Through our mentoring, holiday camps and SEND support across Hounslow, we regularly hear from young people who tell us what they need from a safe sports space, quieter areas, predictable routines, supportive staff and activities that feel fun rather than competitive. Their insights form the foundation of the hub’s design. We will create a Youth Advisory Group of 9–16-year-olds, including those with SEND and SEMH needs, who will help decide on layout, accessibility features, session structure and the types of activities offered. Workshops, visual planning boards and sensory mapping will make participation accessible to all. Young people will also help test the space before it opens to ensure it feels safe and welcoming. Families and community members play an equally important role. Parents and carers, especially those of children with additional needs, will be invited to share what helps their children engage, regulate and feel confident. Local schools, SEND teams and youth practitioners will contribute practical insights on behaviour, communication and inclusion to ensure the hub supports a wide range of needs. We will also involve the community in shaping the timetable, volunteering pathways and partnership opportunities so the hub strengthens local belonging. By placing young people and families at the centre of the design process, we ensure the space is built with and not just for the community it serves.
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?
We expect this initiative to significantly expand access to inclusive physical activity for young people who currently have few or no suitable places to go. By converting an underused community space into a youth-centred sports and play hub, we will unlock a space that has not previously been accessible and redesign it to meet the needs of those excluded from mainstream sport, particularly children with SEND, SEMH needs and those facing adversity. From our existing community work in Hounslow, we have clear evidence that when children are placed in calm, structured, emotionally safe environments, their physical activity levels, confidence, behaviour regulation and social engagement all improve. Through Star Player CIC’s mentoring and SEND support (separate from Star Player Ltd), we have already worked with over 600 young people across holiday camps, 1:1 programmes and targeted group sessions. Families regularly report improved confidence, reduced anxiety and better physical activity habits. Schools share that pupils become more engaged, calmer and more willing to participate. With a dedicated hub, we envision supporting 400–600 children and young people per year, through a mix of open-access sessions, weekly clubs, SEND friendly activities, girls’ sport, family programmes and school referrals. The hub will provide a consistent place where young people feel safe, welcome and able to participate at their own pace, something that currently does not exist locally. The long-term impact includes improved physical health, reduced isolation, stronger emotional regulation, safer after-school hours, and increased community cohesion. Young people will also have opportunities for leadership, volunteering and co-design, strengthening their sense of ownership and belonging.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
It reimagines an underused community space specifically through the lens of children who are usually excluded from sport, those with SEND, SEMH needs, trauma backgrounds and social anxiety. While most sports facilities focus on performance, competition or mainstream participation, our approach flips the model completely: the space is designed first for the young people who traditionally don’t fit into typical sports settings, and then opened to the wider community. The hub uses innovative design principles rarely applied to community sport: sensory friendly layouts, predictable routines, quiet zones, visual communication tools, trauma informed staff practice, and flexible activity design that adapts to a young person’s emotional state. This creates an environment where vulnerable children can participate without overwhelm, something not available in most local facilities. Our approach is also innovative in how it unlocks space. Instead of building new facilities, we repurpose an underused building and turn it into a high impact hub through co-design with young people, families and SEND practitioners. This model is cost effective, scalable and environmentally sensitive. It shows that meaningful spaces for youth can be created not by large capital projects, but by reimagining what already exists. Collaboration is another core innovation. Young people are not just consulted. They form part of a Youth Advisory Group with real decision-making influence. Families, schools, youth workers and SEND specialists help shape programme design, safeguarding approaches and accessibility features. This level of shared ownership is uncommon in local sports provision and shifts power toward the community.
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 setting this initiative up for long-term success by building a model that is financially sustainable, operationally realistic, and rooted in strong partnerships. From the outset, we are designing the hub to operate with a mixed-income model: a combination of grant funding, local authority referrals, targeted commissioned programmes, low-cost community sessions, and reinvested income from Star Player CIC activities. As a CIC fully separate from Star Player Ltd, all surplus is reinvested into the hub, ensuring long-term community benefit rather than commercial profit. Our operational design keeps costs manageable by repurposing an underused space rather than building a new facility. We are in early conversations with the local authority, schools and community organisations about securing an affordable long-term lease or community use agreement. This partnership approach not only reduces overheads but ensures shared ownership and ongoing support. To guarantee quality and safety, the hub will be staffed by trained practitioners with SEND, SEMH and trauma-informed expertise, supported by volunteers and youth leaders. Partnerships with schools, SEND teams, youth services and local charities will ensure steady referrals, multi-agency collaboration and a strong pipeline of young people who will benefit from the space. Our scalability strategy focuses on evidence. In year one, we will rigorously track attendance, wellbeing outcomes, physical activity levels and family feedback. Demonstrating strong impact will allow us to build a compelling case for continued investment and expansion. Long-term, our goal is to create a replicable community hub model that can be rolled out across other underused spaces in Hounslow and neighbouring boroughs.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
This initiative will be delivered through a clear, shared structure that brings together the strengths of Star Player CIC, local partners, and the young people themselves. Star Player CIC Leadership Team • Programme Lead (CIC) – Oversees the entire initiative, manages partnerships, ensures safeguarding and inclusion standards, and leads monitoring and evaluation. • Operations Manager – Manages day-to-day running of the hub, staff rotas, risk assessments, session scheduling, and building compliance. • SEND & Inclusion Lead – Designs the trauma-informed and SEND-friendly approach, trains staff and volunteers, and leads on behaviour regulation strategies. Youth Workers, Mentors & Coaches • Deliver inclusive physical activity sessions, provide emotional regulation support, and maintain a predictable, safe environment. • Collect feedback from young people and families to guide improvements. Youth Advisory Group • A group of 9–16-year-olds who help shape the space design, timetable, accessibility features and community rules. • Test new ideas and ensure activities reflect real needs and interests. Local Authority & Landowner Partners • Support identification and access to an underused or community-accessible space. • Provide safeguarding alignment, risk management guidance, and potential referral pathways. Schools, SEND Teams & Community Organisations • Refer children and young people who would benefit most. • Share specialist input on accessibility, communication and inclusion, ensuring programmes meet diverse needs. • Support family engagement and joint working. Parents & Carers • Participate in co-design sessions, provide insights on children’s needs, and help shape family-friendly elements of the hub. Together, these shared responsibilities ensure the initiative is community-led, professionally managed, inclusive, and fully supported by the partners closest to the young people we serve.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
1. Secure Suitable Space (Months 1–2) • Finalise agreement with the local authority or landowner for an underused building or hall. • Conduct initial site assessment, access checks, and safeguarding suitability review. 2. Co-Design Phase (Months 2–3) • Run workshops with young people, families, SEND specialists and community partners. • Finalise layout, sensory adjustments, activity zones and accessibility features based on their feedback. 3. Space Preparation & Set-Up (Months 3–4) • Implement low-cost refurbishments, safety adaptations and sensory-friendly features. • Install equipment for multi-sport activity, quiet zones and flexible play areas. • Complete risk assessments, safeguarding protocols and staff training. 4. Partnership & Referral Systems (Months 3–4) • Formalise referral routes with schools, SEND teams, youth services and community groups. • Recruit and induct volunteers, young leaders and sessional staff. 5. Soft Launch & Testing (Month 5) • Test space with small groups to gather feedback on safety, usability and emotional comfort. • Make final adjustments before opening fully. 6. Full Launch (Month 6) • Begin weekly inclusive sport sessions, open-access play, girls’ sports, SEND-friendly groups and family activities. • Monitor attendance, engagement and early wellbeing outcomes. 7. Ongoing Impact Tracking (Months 6–12) • Collect data on participation, physical activity, confidence and emotional regulation. • Quarterly reviews with partners and Youth Advisory Group to evolve the programme. 8. Scale & Sustainability Planning (Months 9–12) • Develop a blueprint for replicating the model in additional underused spaces. • Secure future funding and explore long-term lease expansion.
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 be extremely valuable for Star Player CIC, but as a newly formed non-profit (separate from Star Player Ltd), we have limited unrestricted funds to cover staff time and operational costs. Support funding would ensure we can fully engage in the programme without disrupting our frontline work with young people. If eligible, we would request support to cover the following: 1. Staff Capacity (Project Lead & Operations Lead) – Backfill and release time to attend weekly workshops, 1:1 sessions and development tasks. – Estimated cost: £4,000–£5,000. 2. Specialist Input (SEND & Inclusion Lead) – Time to support programme development, theory of change and inclusive design planning. – Estimated cost: £1,500–£2,000. 3. Community & Youth Engagement Costs – Hosting co-design workshops during the capacity-building phase, including space hire, materials and incentives for young people’s participation. – Estimated cost: £1,000–£1,500. 4. Operational Costs – Travel, printing, safeguarding checks for volunteers, and administration linked to planning and preparing project structures. – Estimated cost: £500–£1,000. Total estimated support requested: £7,000–£9,000. This support would ensure that Star Player CIC can engage meaningfully in the programme, build a strong proposal and bring forward a robust, community-led model ready for delivery.
