Author: Dougie Millen, CEO, SSF
“1 in 4 (240,000) children in Scotland are living in poverty" – what can sport do?
I’ve been reflecting on the recent conversations I’ve been having with exceptional young people across the country and what more we can do to transform young lives through sport. In certain communities SSF work alongside as many as 1 in 3 children are living in poverty.
Challenge Poverty Week is an important moment to express a unified voice demanding a more just and equal Scotland. Shifting the conversation that often focuses on stigma to one that tackles the major issues. Since completing our SSF Trauma and Poverty Report in 2022 more young people have fallen into deep poverty.
SSF has worked alongside young people and families living in poverty for almost 25 years. We combine sport with a youth work approach to give young people from some of Scotland’s most challenged communities the resilience to overcome adversity and the tools to fulfil their potential.
Our staff work in the heart of communities and observe first-hand the very real struggles of young people going without essentials such as food, heating, and appropriate clothing, because it’s simply unaffordable. The impact of being in deep poverty is profound and leaves young people facing daily uncertainty. Many will feel resigned to the opinion that they are not in control of their lives, and that a positive future is unattainable for them.
The Challenge
At SSF we ask regularly how young people feel about their future. A participant shared this with one of our team:
“You feel the weight of the label, the barriers, the resentment”
Those words hit me like a ton weight and reflect the feelings of many young people who live with labels and inequality. More concerningly is that this is an issue so ingrained within society that some have decided it’s too difficult to change. Shifting this requires significant political will within local and national government and collaboration across all parties. It demands more meaningful public, private and third sector partnerships that are aligned on building a more just and fairer Scotland.
In contrast the follow up comments from the same young person were more encouraging and reflect the importance of having services and people in the heart of communities:
“When you’re (SSF programmes) in here the barriers disappear, the weight is lifted.”
It’s heartening to hear this and important to acknowledge that sport can be a catalyst for hope where it’s needed most, a place where you people feel safe and supported. There is a breadth of evidence and research that testifies to this and the important role that staff working alongside communities play in ensuring that young people don’t find themselves isolated and unsupported.
On its own sport will not eradicate poverty, however it can be an important contributor to a broader approach that will. Third sector organisations are committed to that, pulling limited resources to make this happen. Our team at SSF passionately harness the power of sport within schools and in the heart of communities. A cornerstone of this approach is the importance of fostering connections and trusted relationships. Having established this, sport can be an incredible tool to help develop transferable life skills, gain qualifications and improve health and wellbeing. SSF work with partners in schools and communities across Scotland to achieve this.
Schools
SSF lead unique and effective alternative education programmes for young people at risk of falling out of the education system. Providing opportunities to achieve SCQF accreditations, develop CV’s and meet potential employers. The results are incredible with 98% of young people reporting an increase in skills and 72% noting their attendance and attainment at school had improved.
“Because of the qualifications they actually make us feel as if we’re achieving something”
“They have said they’d now prefer to stay on to 5th year at school and gain more qualifications!”
The Poverty Alliance highlight that young people living in deprived communities achieve less SQA higher qualifications. We provide SCQF accreditations level 2-5 providing alternative opportunities for attainment.
Communities
We work alongside young people to support them to design and create opportunities that work for them, bringing sport and physical activity to their doorstep. Delivered at a time when anti-social behaviour may occur and providing positive activity in the heart of communities for young people to attend free of charge. Combined with this are opportunities to access hot food in a dignified way and to engage in youth workshops, that explore mental health and open conversations about substance misuse, youth violence and safety. It’s an approach that makes a difference with 82% of young people reporting that they feel more positive about themselves, their lives and futures.
Central to all of this is supporting young people to be champions for good within their communities. SSF young leaders delivered 6470 hours of volunteer work, within SSF programmes and with other community organisations and at external events last year. They have presented the projects they co-designed to national funding partners and local participatory budgeting groups to resource the changes they have identified need to happen! Whilst on this journey they develop skills, belief, connections and meet role models, helping them to take those next steps into employment, college and university.
What next
I am wholeheartedly behind Challenge Poverty Week and the importance of delivering progress around education, housing, transport, employment and community empowerment. We will be sharing our contributions to this through the week. I look forward to championing and supporting the work of other organisations and people who share our view that collectively we can tackle poverty.
Scotland is full of exceptional young people who passionately want to make a difference. There is as much talent and potential in every community, this is not defined by the place or postcode in which you live. However, our systems and structures have let them down this far and we must do better.
If you are equally passionate about eradicating child poverty and think we can work together or share ideas and thinking please feel free to connect with me on Dougie Millen | LinkedIn and we can catch up.
