Switching Play scores £100k funding from BBC Children in Need
The new grant will further Saints Foundation’s work challenging offending behaviours in young people.
Young people deemed to be at risk of offending are referred into Saints Switching Play for a series of targeted 1-to-1 interventions, designed to unlock potential, increase wellbeing and ultimately reduce their likelihood of engaging in harmful behaviour in the community.
BBC Children in Need will contribute more than £100,000 to the project across the next three years. Together with a variety of other funding streams, their grant will sustain and develop Saints Switching Play’s hugely important support for the city’s young people.
Saints Switching Play has already led to some fantastic outcomes for its participants. At the end of a previous strand of funding (December 2022), Youth Justice Service data showed that out of 23 participants, 70% did not reoffend within 6 months of working with us, and 52% did not offend at all after they started working with our team.
As important are the goals the young people have set for themselves, which include getting back into education, finding their passions and entering the world of work.
Vicky Lambert, Pathways Project Manager at Saints Foundation, said: “Thanks to BBC Children in Need and our other fantastic funding partners, we’re able to continue this vital support for the young people of Southampton for the next three years and beyond.
“Saints Switching Play is another example of how we can use the Saints badge to connect with people and inspire them to make positive choices about their futures. Year on year, we’ve seen how impactful Saints Switching Play can be, not just for the young people on the project, but in making our community a safer place for all.”
