SUMMER | THE COMMENTATOR
Bringing kids together
Martin Fullard
talks events
giving back
T
he events industry, by
definition, is all about
creating experiences
for people. It’s a jolly successful
commercial industry, and that’s
why a lot of us are in it. But
where the industry really does
win is when it gives something
back.
Children’s charity the Youth
Sport Trust in June launched
a new project in partnership
with Team England to
encourage social integration
among young people across
Birmingham. The project, called
Birmingham Connect, will
use sport to build connections
between young people from
diverse and segregated
communities in the UK’s
30
second-largest city. It’s fitting, as
Birmingham is hosting the 2022
Commonwealth Games.
The programme will see
young people aged 11 to 13 paired
with students from the other 20
schools across the city to help
them connect through sport.
The year-long programme
aims to improve social mixing
and build young people’s
understanding of different
communities. It will particularly
focus on tackling segregation
of young people of different
ethnicities, who come from
areas of deprivation or who have
a disability.
The project is being run
by the Youth Sport Trust
in partnership with the
English Commonwealth
Games team, Team England.
Birmingham Connect has
received funding from Sport
England and the Ministry
of Housing, Communities
and Local Government
as part of the Integrated
Communities Innovation Fund
(ICIF). It is being delivered
with support from Inspire
Activity Ltd, Culture Central
and Birmingham Education
Partnership.
The scheme is yet another
example of how sport and
events can come together for
the greater good, and to provide
an inclusive arena for children
“The scheme is yet another example
of how sport and events can come
together for the greater good”
from different backgrounds
is something all of us can get
behind.
Indeed, Commonwealth
Games England have put
their weight behind it, with
chief executive Paul Blanchard
saying: “We hope Birmingham
Connect will leave a lasting
legacy beyond the Birmingham
2022 Commonwealth Games
to promote social integration
among young people across
the city and enable them to
become better connected. We’re
looking forward to seeing the
positive impact it will have
on the schools, children and
communities involved.”
Over the next year, pairs of
schools will work together to
give students the opportunity
to mix with young people
from different backgrounds.
Schools chosen to take part
have been identified as being
highly segregated, either
through ethnicity, deprivation or
disability.
100 young people recruited
across the 20 schools will be
trained as Connectors to lead
the project for their school, with
support from teachers.
Every school will receive
inspirational assemblies and
training and will then plan and
organise four sporting events
with their partner schools.
The project will culminate in
a large-scale sporting festival
in summer 2020 which will
bring together all of the schools
involved as well as friends and
family.
There is hope for the UK yet.