Pitch 2 Progress: Shaping Positive Futures for Young People in Birmingham

August 16, 2024 

In recognition of this past Monday’s International Youth Day, which elevates youth-related issues and celebrates young people’s potential as partners in today’s global society, this month we are highlighting sport for development organizations in our network that are serving young people through sport.

Today, meet Pitch 2 Progress (P2P) CIC – an NFL Foundation UK grantee partner – which supports the vocational and developmental progression of young people on and off the pitch in Birmingham, UK. We spoke to Operations Manager, Syed Ali, about the organization's work to help young people move towards positive and healthy futures through sport and educational workshops. 

P2P was founded in 2020 as a Community Interest Company to encourage community engagement in Bordesley Green where it is based, and surrounding areas in East Birmingham. Recognizing the need for a positive and inclusive environment for youth, it uses recreational sports and activities as a gateway to build relationships and understand individual needs. 

Its mission is to help young people aged 8-25 – mainly those from areas of high deprivation – improve their health and wellbeing. In conjunction with its sports offerings, P2P also provides mentoring, employability support and referrals to available community services. It also delivers workshops addressing some of the challenges young people are facing such as mental wellbeing, youth crime, empowering women and social media use. From 2021 to 2022, the organization helped over 1,000 people – 95% of whom were from minority ethnic backgrounds. 

Ali explained that by targeting young people in areas of high deprivation, P2P aims to break cycles of poverty and inequality, fostering social mobility and providing pathways for personal and professional development. “The organization has continued to evolve, addressing the root causes of economic inequality through targeted interventions and support services,” he said. 

Ali shared that the top challenges young people in Birmingham face are economic disadvantage and high levels of unemployment. Around 39,000 people (7.2%) aged 16 and over were unemployed in December 2023. This is exacerbated in places where young people may not have the same access to networks and opportunities that can lead to meaningful employment. “In Birmingham, many youth in deprived areas struggle with underfunded schools, overcrowded classrooms and insufficient educational resources,” added Ali. 

He also explains how mental health problems are a major concern. In the city, the prevalence of mental health disorders in young people aged 5-16 is 10.3%, compared to 9.2% in England and 9.7% in the West Midlands. Contributing factors include economic hardship, academic pressure, family issues and exposure to crime, as well as a lack of mental health support services for young people. 

P2P uses sports to counter social issues, providing platforms for young people to improve their health and wellbeing, build their confidence and progress towards positive futures. All its sessions, including football, boxing, dodgeball, cycling, yoga and more, provide mentoring on employability and future paths. It also offers post-sport workshops on issues like wellbeing, societal roles, individual empowerment, critical thinking, teamwork, social media and leadership. 

Youth leadership and providing pathways to jobs is integral to P2P's equity work. Its “person-centered” approach ensures that support is tailored to the unique needs and goals of everyone, making its programs more effective and impactful. “By developing leadership skills, we help youth develop critical abilities for personal growth and success. This also creates positive role models within the community, which is key to inspiring others. We feel that by providing pathways to jobs, we are bridging the gaps in education and employment, helping youth secure employment and financial independence,” explained Ali. 

P2P also runs projects that specifically support young women on issues such as domestic violence, forced marriage, grooming and online security, as well as programs on community cohesion, tolerance and understanding. 

Mariam Oudeh took part in P2P’s 2021 summer camp, sharing: “It allowed me to make friends and join the girl’s leadership course, which I graduated from. The leadership course has now allowed me to become a youth leader and now I volunteer on the younger sessions and have led our Commonwealth Games GEN22 program.” 

For those who may have chaotic and complex family situations, sports can be a lifeline. The organization believes that sports can be the foundation to equipping young adults with key life skills. Since 2023, it has integrated NFL Flag (the non-contact version of American Football) into its programming through the NFL Foundation UK Community Grants program. The organization celebrated International Youth Day with a Family Fun Day for the local community. Around 2000 people attended and took part in activities such as NFL Flag delivered by its young participants and Youth Ambassadors. 

Since 2022, Beyond Sport has supported the rollout of this program, with funding provided by the Mayor of London and Sport England. The project, which provides NFL Flag to organizations tackling inequities, runs across 18 boroughs in London, with additional programs in Greater Manchester, Birmingham and most recently Leeds. 

“The sport enhances teamwork and social skills, developing collaboration and effective communication,” said Ali. “It also promotes diversity and inclusion, bringing together participants from various backgrounds and breaking down cultural barriers... One key message we have received is how fun NFL Flag has been to those trying out the sport for the first time.” 

Looking ahead, P2P intends to expand its community center – doubling the current indoor space to accommodate more activities and services. “We are going to create a new community center and office/meeting space by the end of this year to support more young people,” shared Ali. “As we only get a few weeks of sunshine (if we are lucky), we really struggle with the lack of indoor space now. Expanding our current community center by adding a further four shipping containers will make a huge impact. We are really excited about this project!”