On 31 October, Slough Children First’s (SCF) Exploitation and Youth Justice (EYJS) Team were invited by Sporting Equals to attend an invite only celebration event at the House of Commons.
The event was to celebrate the end of the Breaking Boundaries project and its achievements.
Breaking Boundaries was a project between 2018 –2021, funded by Spirit of 2012, to bring young people, their families and communities together through engagement in cricket (whether playing, spectating or volunteering.) It was delivered across the five cities of Bradford, Birmingham, Barking & Dagenham, Manchester and Slough.
The EYJS Team were delighted to be among guests who were invited. Others who attended from the Slough area included community leaders and a young person from the Slough EYJS.
One of SCF’s colleagues and the young person were part of a panel that discussed reparation projects that the team and Active Slough completed together and the impact it had on community cohesion.
These projects included adult disability football coaching, adult disability polybat sessions and youth led change sessions. The panel also talked about their experience and skills gained from the project, hopes for the future and demonstrated a boost in confidence throughout the project too.
Speakers included:
- Tan Dhesi – Slough MP
- Pasha Shah CBE – Assistant Director for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Ted Cantle CBE – Chair of Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network, a national charity based in Manchester
- CEOs of Sporting Equals
- Youth Sport Trust
- Spirit of 2012
The day was definitely one to rememeber, with many influential people across different sectors taking an interest in asking young people about their experiences and viewpoints too.
It also demonstrated the important work that Slough Children First and local organisations do to support its young people and the community as well as the growing collaboration between us and Slough Borough Council.
SCF EYJS Team at Houses of Parliament