THE ACCESS TO SPORTS PROJECT

Who we are

Vision statement

Our vision is to create thriving, inclusive communities where every young person, regardless of background, has the opportunity to lead an active, healthy life through accessible and engaging sports experiences.

Mission statement

Our mission is to break down barriers to sports participation by delivering inclusive, high-quality activities for young people, empowering local residents through training and volunteer opportunities, and supporting organisations to expand access to sports. We are dedicated to promoting lifelong physical literacy, fostering social inclusion, and addressing inequalities in London’s most underserved communities.

Our work

The Access to Sports Project operates across three local authorities: Islington, Hackney, and Haringey. We work closely with all three councils and deliver programmes in partnership with them. We focus on areas within the three boroughs that are most deprived and/or are home to large minority communities. We tackle head on a number of social and economic issues that are barriers to sport participation and disproportionally effect poor and BAME communities.

Access to Sports work focuses on three key areas to deliver on our mission:

1.      We organise a range of accessible and progressive sports activities for young people. This includes:

a.      Community and Estate-Based Programmes: Supporting young people through sport on housing estates and in deprived areas of Hackney and Islington.

b.      Inclusivity Programmes: We deliver inclusive, tailored sports programmes for people with disabilities, women and girls, those struggling with their mental health and LGBTQ+ young people.

c.      Sport specific programmes: specific programmes in tennis, snow sports, roller skating, basketball and football.

d.      Schools Programme: The delivery of sport activities in local primary schools.

e.      Holiday Programme: Fun sports and food programmes delivered in local settings to address high costs of childcare provision, food poverty and inactivity.

2.      We provide training, support and volunteer opportunities for local people enabling them to become involved in sports coaching including;

a.      Coaching and Leadership Awards: Offers qualifications like Level 2 Coaching, Football Referees’ Course, Archery Instructor Award, and Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

b.      Youth Sports Courses: Includes Football Leadership, Basketball Activators, and Sports Leaders Level 1&2.

c.      Employment Pathways: Provides local residents with skills for community sports employment or volunteering.

3.      We provide support and assistance to local organisations interested in delivering sports.

Most recently this has included the regeneration and redevelopment of sports facilities including Finsbury Park Tennis Courts