Sport 4 Life UK is the leading sport for employment charity in the West Midlands.

We are proud to provide the opportunity for young people (aged 11 to 29) to prepare for and move into sustained education, employment, or training by improving their employability and key life skills, through our sports-themed personal development service.

Through sports, personal development and employability workshops, our services are designed to bring out the best in young people and provide them with high-quality sessions, mentoring, and guidance.

Young people attending a Sport 4 Life UK sports session

We want to give every young person we work with the chance to make a positive change in their lives.

Our vision

A level playing field where every young person has the opportunity to create a better future for themselves.

 

Our mission

Delivering sports-themed personal development services to support young people’s journey through education and employment.

young person playing with hoop

Our audiences

Young People

For young people who want to build confidence, gain qualifications, get a career and earn money, Sport 4 Life UK provides an alternative to traditional education.

Through sports, personal development services or employability workshops, we can help you develop the life skills needed to move into further education, training and employment.

Businesses & Partners

For inspirational individuals and game-changing organisations who want to build a better community and change the lives of disadvantaged young people, Sport 4 Life UK provides an alternative to traditional classroom-based learning by improving employability and key life skills through sports-themed mentoring and personal development.

By investing our time, resource and expertise, together we can help young people lead fulfilling, rewarding lives and prepare them for long-term employment.

Funders

For funders who want to change the lives of disadvantaged young people and make a real difference in their community, Sport 4 Life UK provides an alternative to traditional classroom-based learning.

Through sports-themed mentoring and personal development, we help young people improve their employability, build transferable skills and create a better future for themselves.

Our strategy

We want to continue to be bold and ambitious. Over the next five years, our strategic priorities are:

  • To grow and expand our services
  • To drive through transformational improvements in our services
  • To be the ‘go to’ youth employment charity for the region
  • To be one of the best places to work in the West Midlands
  • To make key contributions to our society and community

Our impact

We must be honest, transparent and accountable. Each year we publish an Impact Report detailing how we’ve supported young people in creating a better life for themselves.

OUR IMPACT

Our insight

Our research gives us valuable insight into the challenges young people face today which helps us improve our services and ensures we are advocating the right messages to our partners and the government.

OUR RESEARCH

Our story

Founded in 2006 as a small community project in the ward of Ladywood, Sport 4 Life started life as a ‘sport for sport’s sake’ charity, driving disadvantaged young people into sports participation, with the focus exclusively on outputs.

Following a fundamental strategic review in 2010, the organisation changed its use of sport, where it became the vehicle, conduit and tool to facilitate social good – focussing on meaningful and sustainable impact.

The resulting 16 years has seen Sport 4 Life learn, grow, change and develop into the leading sport-for-employment charity in the West Midlands.

tom clarke-forrest founder of employment charity sport 4 life UK

Our values

All that we do is focused on CHANGING the LIVES of young people.
This is our North Star and guides everything that we do.

We are a TEAM
We are a conscientious, approachable and trusting group with a common goal. We do our roles effectively, share in the success, and take responsibility in the failures.

QUALITY runs through the core of the organisation
We aim to be a beacon of good practice in all we do. We are data led and evidence based, dependable for all those we support and work with. Most importantly – we do what we say we do.

We do not stand still – we are a PROGRESSIVE organisation
We are a group with a growth mindset, leaving our egos at the door. We are curious, take feedback constructively, have a continuous approach to learning and embrace change.

Our delivery model

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are guided by our values in everything we do, and recognise that a more diverse organisation is a better organisation. Inclusiveness and diversity are core to who we are. People with different backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives are at the heart of how we work. We aspire to recruit, empower, develop and retain the best, regardless of their background. We are collectively committed to cultivate an environment where all differences are valued, practices and processes are equitable, and everyone experiences a true sense of belonging.

Our commitment is evidenced through the following actions:

Sport 4 Life UK is proud to be a Care Leaver Friendly Employer, Disability Confident Employer and a Real Living Wage Employer

Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Statement

Sport 4 Life UK is committed to operating with responsibility and integrity, recognising the interconnectedness of our actions with society and the environment. Our commitment to ESG principles is an integral part of our mission in making a positive and lasting impact in the communities we exist to serve. As part of our governance framework (designed to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical conduct to promote responsible decision-making, effective risk management, and compliance) our ESG responsibilities and approach are articulated in our ‘Sustainable Development & Environmental’ policy, overseen by the Board of Trustees.

One of the strategic pillars in our 2022-2027 Strategy is ‘To make key contributions to our society and community’. As part of this, we are seeking to understand and measure our environmental emissions and carbon footprint, and then actively work towards net-zero by reducing them.

We seek to set an example for responsible and ethical ESG practices in the sectors in which we operation, and together we strive to build a more sustainable future for all.

“I’m really glad I joined Sport 4 Life. They have supported me so much with my confidence and communication. They helped me to become a better person.”

Alimah Abdalah, aged 15

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