EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Positive Futures impact report: staying in touch

Positive Futures impact report: staying in touch

Introduction

Assesses progress made by Positive Futures, a national sports-based social inclusion programme delivered through local partnership projects.

Problem

Positive Futures aims to ‘have a positive influence on participants’ substance misuse, physical activity and offending behaviour’ with the objective of broadening participants’ horizons via access to lifestyle, educational and employment opportunities.

Description

This report:

describes the range of activities that the Positive Futures programme, a national sports-based social inclusion programme delivered through local partnership projects, is involved in;
outlines the monitoring framework used;
assesses the success of the programme in engaging with young people;
looks at participants' involvement in sporting and non-sporting activities;
provides demographic information about the participants engaged in the programme;
highlights the importance of staff skills
looks at partnership working within the programme; and
includes case studies of young people involved in various projects.

Approach

The project targets marginalised youngsters aged 10–19, particularly targeting those living in deprived neighbourhoods. Delivered through 108 local partnership projects, Positive Futures provides participants with access to a wide range of sporting activities including football, BMXing, climbing, canoeing and abseiling. The programme also incorporates substance misuse interventions through workshops, individual mentoring and advisory literature. Youngsters can access the programme through self-referral and through referrals made by statutory and voluntary agencies, word of mouth and outreach workers.

Results

Results include:

approximately 70,000 young people involved in regular project activities by October 2004;
success in creating strong local networks of partners;
42% of project partners believing that the project has helped to reduce substance misuse levels;
increased availability of sporting activities as the project has progressed;
the majority of project partners believing that anti social behaviour and local crime rates have fallen as a result of their involvement in Positive Futures.

There is evidence of better family relations, reduction in aggression, better team working and greater self-esteem.

Beneficiaries

Disengaged young people.

Resources used

Resources required include sports coaches, sports facilities.

Financing

Funding for the period 2003-6 comprises £15 million from the Home Office, £3 million from the Football Foundation, £0.5 million from Sport England and funding from local supporters.

Contact info

Positive Futures Team, Home Office
Phone: +44 20 7035 0622
positivefutures@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Project start date

01/03/2000

Links

Positive Futures programme Home Office

Positive Futures impact report: staying in touch (PDF, Eng, 1.3MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Health