Football Foundation PlayZones Making an Impact in Sandwell

Activation of multisports sessions at nine PlayZones in Sandwell is making a real difference in efforts to tackle inactivity among young people locally, according to delivery partners.

Led by Sandwell Council, the network of nine safe, inclusive and accessible Football Foundation PlayZones opened late last year to give more residents the opportunity to get active and connect through football and other sports and improve their health and wellbeing.

Active Black Country has provided funding to nearly a dozen community groups and helped facilitate a range of different physical activity sessions across the sites in partnership with Sandwell Council’s public health team.

Removing financial and social barriers

One of these is Sport 4 Life, the West Midlands charity which aims to empower young people to reach their potential by giving them the skills, qualifications and support needed to find work and shape successful futures. Over a 32-week period, it is delivering Game On Football and Basketball sessions for young people aged 11 to 17 across Tividale Park and Victoria Park.

Mark Clews, Partnership Funding Officer at Sport 4 Life, says the charity is expecting strong take-up given the demand it has seen through existing provision at Hadley Stadium.

Referencing the challenges of getting youngsters active in one of the most deprived local authority areas in England, where child poverty and health inequalities are above the national average, Mark says: “Cost, confidence, and access to facilities remain the key barriers we see.

“Many young people simply don't have a free, local, and welcoming space to be active without the pressure of formal competition.”

Mark says the PlayZones are having a significant impact.

“By offering free, weekly sessions close to home, we remove the financial and social barriers that stop young people taking part,” he says.

“The PlayZones give us a safe, familiar, and non-competitive environment where young people can build confidence and routine. This project also grew directly out of youth voice: young people using our existing basketball sessions told us they wanted more football provision, so Victoria Park's proximity to Hadley Stadium made it a natural fit to expand on that trusted relationship.

“We're also building toward long-term sustainability by identifying young people who want to take on volunteer or peer leader roles and supporting some to work towards sports leadership qualifications so they can help run sessions themselves in future.”

Mark says Sport 4 Life has received positive feedback from youngsters and their parents, especially the value young people place on sessions that are close to home in a welcoming space and focused on enjoyment rather than performance.

“Across our wider programmes we see strong positive shifts in confidence and wellbeing,” he adds.

Creating opportunities to be active

The Active Wellbeing Society, a charitable community benefit society, has seen strong engagement in the physical activity sessions it has run at five PlayZones over recent months, according to its Active Travel Lead, Victor Bulso.

The impact:

• A 12-week programme at Tividale Park engaged more than 100 children;
• 50 youngsters joined activities held at West Smethwick Park.
• Multisports sessions at Oakwood Park attracted participation from 30 teenagers,
• 46 children and young people attended sessions at Victoria Park, Smethwick.
• A six-week block of walking netball sessions engaged 15 females.

Commenting on the challenges of getting youngsters moving and being active, Victor says: “Through our work delivering the PlayZone sessions, we have learnt that youngsters can sometimes feel there are not enough opportunities to be active in the area.

“This can also be coupled with parents not having time/ access to transport to get to the sessions. Another factor can be financially – the families may not be able to afford equipment or the coaching sessions. Safety concerns also came up a few times.”

Victor says the Active Wellbeing Society’s sessions at the PlayZones have helped to address the challenges, offering an inclusive space and the opportunity for families and children to participate in free sports coaching sessions – and also discover new sports such as walking hockey and basketball.

“As our sessions are free this removes the financial barrier to physical activity. As the sessions are led by qualified instructors, we strive to create a space where the participants feel safe and confident to express themselves, increase their confidence/ fitness and help them reach their full potential,” Victor adds.

Participants and their parents have offered encouraging feedback, citing how accessible the no-cost activities are, the flexibility of the Active Wellbeing Society coaches to adapt to meet differing needs, whilst calling for more free sessions to be made available.

For the nine PlayZones, Active Black Country’s multi-sport work supported Sandwell Council’s Public Health team to secure £150,000 in activation funding through Sport England’s Multi-Sport Strategic Investment Fund.

Positive impact

Funded by the Football Foundation, the council and Sport England, the PlayZones were constructed in areas of high need to help reduce barriers to physical activity, focusing on engaging women and girls, disabled people, those with long-term health conditions, ethnically diverse communities, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Ricky Byrnes, Communities and Partnerships Programme Manager in the public health team at Sandwell Council, says: “The PlayZones are already demonstrating the positive impact that accessible, high-quality community spaces can have on increasing physical activity and improving wellbeing across Sandwell.

“By providing accessible and inclusive opportunities close to where people live, we are helping to remove many of the barriers that prevent children, young people, and families from being active.

He adds: “It is particularly encouraging to see strong engagement from local communities and delivery partners, who are using these facilities to create safe, welcoming environments where residents can build confidence, develop new skills and establish healthier lifestyles. The success of the activation programme to date shows the real value of investing in places and partnerships that support long-term health and wellbeing outcomes for our communities.”

Sport 4 Life weekly sessions

If you want to attend a Sport 4 Life activity, here are the session details:

Monday Football (Oldbury)
Tividale Park 99 Dudley Rd W, Tividale, Oldbury B69 2HU
Time: 4-5pm

Monday Football (Smethwick)
Victoria Park, High St, Smethwick B66 3NT
Time: 4-5pm