Football Session Gives Birmingham Youngsters a Safe Place to Spend the Holidays
By Charities Correspondent
A group of young people in Birmingham swapped computer games for football during a free session aimed at keeping youngsters active over the summer holidays.
Around 25 children aged between 11 and 14 took part in the event at Hodge Hill College on Tuesday, September 1.
The session was organised by youth charity Sport 4 Life UK and funded by property security company VPS.
As well as playing football, the youngsters had the chance to learn new skills, meet other people their age and spend time in a safe environment.
The event was part of VPS’s Safer Sites, Safer Futures campaign, which looks at the reasons young people can be drawn to vacant and vulnerable buildings.
VPS said it has seen an increase in youth-related incidents at vacant properties during school holidays. Its research found that 64 per cent of youth-related incidents during the summer take place after mid-July.
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The company says boredom and a lack of activities can be among the reasons young people are attracted to vacant buildings, which can be dangerous places to explore.
For the youngsters taking part in the Hodge Hill session, however, the focus was simply on having fun and getting involved in football.
One participant said: “It’s been good fun playing football with my mates. I didn’t win, but it’s been nice getting out, having a laugh and doing something different instead of just being inside playing computer games.”
Susie Wells, of VPS, attended the session and said she was pleased to see the young people enjoying themselves and getting to know the Sport 4 Life coaches.
“Football and sport can become a powerful way to unite young people,” she said.
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Seetan Varani, Managing Director of VPS UK, said the event was about more than simply sponsoring a football session.
“Keeping vulnerable buildings secure is essential, but security is only part of the picture,” he said. “Creating positive opportunities and safe places for young people to spend their time has to be part of the conversation too.”
Tom Clarke-Forrest, Founder and CEO of Sport 4 Life UK, said events like the football session provide valuable safe spaces for young people within their communities.
The two organisations are now exploring further opportunities to provide youth activities as their partnership develops.
