Strengthen community
and social cohesion

Community is where all our programmes start, with each project designed to respond to the issues of the local area. We want to give young people the confidence to be responsible, influential, active and valued members of their community, while being seen as a critical part of the solution not the problem. 

Our programmes draw people together and through a shared love of playing sport they learn to value their similarities and forget their differences. They provide an environment for young people to support each other, tackle and find solutions to shared problems, gain independence and enable them to feel like their voice matters.  

Half of disabled people say they are lonely, and one in four feel lonely every day.
Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness (2017)

It is well documented that children from low income families are more likely to experience worse physical and mental health, do less well in school and have fewer opportunities in the future.
The Trussell Trust

impact

Super 1s and Wicketz join forces

Bringing communities together

Redditch and Luton police engagement

Across the Wicketz programme we work closely with police and the community. In 2016, we started Wicketz projects in Luton and Redditch, both areas of very high deprivation facing many challenges including extremism, religious tensions and high levels of crime. 

In Redditch, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), who saw cricket as a tool to help them be actively involved in creating a positive environment, were trained up as Wicketz support coaches. They were surprised when, united in playing cricket, even the group most vocal in their abuse of the police soon saw beyond the uniform and changed their views. These Wicketz sessions have now attracted over 50 young males, some of which are now trained as coaches and becoming strong role models. 

“I’ve gone from being someone who was nearly in trouble with the police, to someone who has a good rapport with them and a good reputation in my community. Wicketz has enabled me to look at an ambitious and exciting future. Whatever my future holds, I know that I want to ensure that I can be part of changing the lives of people like myself.” Waqar, Redditch participant.

In Luton and Redditch, building trust and overcoming the barriers between police and the ethnic minority communities they serve is a challenge. Criminalising young people on the verge of radicalisation or involved in daily antisocial behaviour (ASB), risks a spread of mistrust and communities feeling targeted. Wicketz has had a direct impact on positive perceptions between individuals, local communities and police, and become a catalyst for a drastic drop in the amount of antisocial behaviour. 

Wicketz is now recognised as a key crime intervention, helping police build links with young people and educating participants around the dangers of issues such as drugs, gangs, knife and gun crime, extremism and sexual exploitation. These projects have received accolades from the media, community and the wider police force. 

Detective Superintendent, David Cestaro, Community Policing Co-Ordinator for Serious Violence at Bedfordshire Police: “I am particularly eager to prevent local youngsters from getting drawn into activities and crimes which are often precursors to becoming embroiled in serious crime. I was incredibly impressed with how Wicketz has a philosophy which is all about stopping this. 

“Events run by Wicketz bring often struggling individuals into groups who learn about collaborative success, receive inputs from key professionals and signpost them to opportunities with local companies or education providers. This is just the sort of initiative to break down barriers, not only between people, but between an individual's challenging situation and their potential.”

Combat Cricket

A group of young Afghan refugees in Luton were identified as contributing to ASB and community conflict. Many were disengaged from mainstream education, struggling with their mental health, at high risk of exploitation and on the fringe of crime. Wicketz set up Combat Cricket, a mix of martial arts and cricket, to help them integrate into their communities and gain self-respect. Through hard work and discipline their fitness, self-control, stress management and confidence improved. We saw better community interactions and improved personal outcomes, some even going into employment or education.