2014 Summer Youth Project Evaluation

FC United delivered its Summer Youth Project for the third time in 2014 building on the experience we gained in delivering a similar project in 2012 and 2011.

59 young people participated in the project. All but 2 were aged 16 or 17.



The project was delivered from three centres;

• Sporting Edge, Openshaw and East Manchester Academy in Beswick
  
• Manchester Creative and Media Academy in Moston and Whitemoss Youth Club in Blackley
  
• Abraham Moss Community School in Crumpsall

Young people were offered;

• Accredited training in sports coaching and employability skills
  
• Volunteering placements delivering sports based activities for younger children
  
• Advice and guidance for future plans

The accredited training took the form of an Open Awards Level 1 Award called Running a Sports Based Play Scheme. The curriculum was based on the Open Awards Skills for Further Learning and Employment qualification. Young people also received a PEARL Employability Skills award.

The sports coaching training took the form of an induction into the FC United’s approach to inclusive community sports coaching. Having become acquainted with the basic principles that underpin the club’s approach to community coaching, the young people worked in groups to plan, deliver and evaluate sports sessions for younger children.



All participants received two FC United T shirts and a travel allowance
Nearly all participants came from North and East Manchester, mainly from extremely deprived communities, and the location of their residence is shown here;






The impact of the project was measured in a survey of participants. We measured the impact in the following areas;

On Plans for the Future

Only 2% were unsure about what to do about the future by the end of the project. However, 16% reported that they had changed their minds about what they were going to do in the future. (The project ended before participants heard what their GCSE results were)

On involvement in anti-social behaviour

14% of participants reported that they had been in trouble with the police before the start of the project. 0% said they had been in trouble with the police over the course of the project.

On Participation in Sport

Not surprisingly, the project tended to attract young people with an interest in sport. However, 76% of participants said that as a result of the project they were more likely to participate in sport in the future. 50% expressed an interest in paying to play for an 11 a side football team.

On Volunteering

75% of participants said they had volunteered before. We thought this was a very high figure. There was a negligible increase in the number of young people stating they intended to volunteer in the future.

On engagement with FC United

A massive 80% of participants said they were interested in volunteering for FC United in the future. They expressed interest in a range of volunteering opportunities at the club;
47% mentioned football coaching
45% mentioned volunteering at matches
14% mentioned working with older people
14% mentioned volunteering for the radio station.


On confidence

When asked to tell us what they thought they got out of the project, many participants mentioned confidence;

It has taught me perseverance, motivation and leadership. It has helped my confidence when talking to new people. - a participant at Openshaw

This experience has taught me leadership and how to be in charge and lead younger people. It helped me learn new things in terms of finding out more about myself as a person. - A participant at Abraham Moss

Young people linked this increased confidence to having to be in a leadership position, working as part of a team, talking to children and parents and getting to know young people who had been to a different secondary school.