Source: www.laureus.com
Sports projects are highly effective when it comes to tackling youth crime and anti-social behaviour and can save the government money, according to a new report published.
One project, The Boxing Academy in Tottenham, North London, costs half as much as a Pupil Referral Unit and has lower re-offending rates amongst the young people it works with, says the report.
The report Teenage Kicks was commissioned by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and produced by charity think tank and consultancy New Philanthropy Capital (NPC).
It was launched in London by Laureus World Sports Academy Member Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and received by James Brokenshire MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime Prevention.
Teenage Kicks measured the results of three community-based projects - The Boxing Academy, Kickz and 2nd Chance – which use sport to engage young people in a wider programme of education and support.
NPC found them to be highly cost-effective and successful in reducing youth crime.
"Cuts to sport and youth projects are a false economy," says report author Camilla Nevill.
"Sport combined with targeted support has huge potential to engage hard to reach young people, change lives and communities, and provide value for money. For example, we found that one Kickz project creates £7 value for every £1 invested, by reducing costs to victims, police, prisons and courts."
Youth crime and antisocial behaviour cost the government at least £4bn a year, and one in five young people report being involved in some way. The government is consulting on new initiatives, such as the Criminal Behaviour Order, and is piloting gang injunctions for 14–17 year olds in the next few months.
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is now calling on the Government to recognise and develop successful sport-based projects as part of its policy on tackling youth and gang crime.
Grey-Thompson said: "I think everyone involved in sport in the community knows how valuable it can be as a means to help young people. It can give them focus, it teaches them respect and team-spirit and it can keep them off the streets and out of trouble.
"I have always believed sport can be a valuable social weapon. Now this report has produced evidence which proves that sport in certain circumstances can also be a more cost-effective solution than traditional social means. In these difficult economic times, this is a really significant finding," added Tanni.
Minister for Crime Prevention James Brokenshire commented: "This report highlights just how important it is that we intervene in the early stages with young people on the cusp of getting involved in crime, ensuring they have positive engagement with mentors, peers and role models and are supported to change their attitudes and behaviour.
"Sport is an excellent way to achieve this."
Another Laureus World Sports Academy Member Daley Thompson, who cycled from Manchester to London last year to raise awareness for the issue, believes this is crucial.
Double Olympic decathlon champion Daley, an enthusiastic supporter of the report, said: "Sport is not just a nice-to-have. It's a powerful and effective tool for tackling a number of social challenges. The government needs to inject funds and bring communities together to make these projects more effective and grow the number available.
"This report proves the economic case for sport and proves that money can be saved in the long run."
Keesha is typical of many of the teenagers referred to The Boxing Academy. At 14, she had been excluded from school and was constantly in trouble.
She believes the approach of staff at the Academy and the use of boxing helped her turn her life around.
"I used to talk a lot in class, cuss a lot, I used to get in trouble all the time - if I didn't want to do something, there's no way that I was going to do it. But coming to The Boxing Academy has really changed all that. I love boxing, sparring, fighting ... it's such an adrenaline rush, but fun. I laugh when I'm boxing! ... boxing takes out my anger. I needed to get the anger out."