Youth engagement programme in Niddrie & Craigmillar
In 2023, Edinburgh Leisure, in partnership with Uthink & Castlevale Football club set up a programme to engage young people through football in the Niddrie & Craigmillar areas of Edinburgh.
Building on the success of the Leith initiative, that aimed to engage with teenagers and young adults on the back of the anti social behaviour and rioting on bonfire night.
Our job was to develop a positive environment for young people to feel safe and play football for 2 hours each Friday night instead of hanging out at shops and parks drinking and causing anti social behaviour.
Once a good rapport and trust was developed by the coaches to the young people, the likelihood of being listened to in their communities was far higher.
The young lads trusted us and ended up speaking to us about issues and problems when in previous times they may have felt they had no outlet except aggression or violence.
The coaches looked to positively work with teenagers and young adults at-risk of engaging in anti social behaviour in their communities.
The venue was Castlebrae Community Campus.
Our first session attracted 12 participants.
The first few weeks saw numbers progressively rise.
Arguments and tension within matches were common. Many players stayed with their own friendship groups, distancing themselves from others. Interventions from the coaches were commonplace.
With time and consistency, barriers were broken down, new players attended, and new friendships were made.
Two years on, and an average of 70 young people now attend every week in all weathers. Swapping aggression and threats for laughter and sportsmanship.
The transformation has been stark in the behaviour of many.
Befriending people they may have preciously viewed as an enemy, simply because of the school or community they came from.
The diversity of the group has greatly enriched the sessions. Young people from every background and culture, coming together under the banner of football.
It truly is an international language that can positively change communities for the better.
Uthink, just People Developing People.....
