The Safeguarding Company Are Delighted To Support The Street Soccer Foundation

The Street Soccer Foundation is an award-winning charitable non-profit organisation operating nationwide throughout England, working in a collaborative manner with Football Club delivery partners and Supporters. The foundation aims to help end youth homelessness through the power of football.

How Do they Support Vulnerable Children and Young People?

Their nationally acclaimed flagship program 'Street Soccer Academy' (the No.1 football-led project tackling youth homelessness in England) provides a 10-week learning and development course for 16-25-year-olds. The courses are held at Football Club partner delivery hubs and offer selected young participants a specially-crafted ‘hat-trick’ of coaching opportunities and workshops, to improve their mindset and be ready and able to move into Work, Education or Further Training on a successful graduation. These include:

• Professional Football Coaching;
• Growth/Positive Mindset Training;
• Skills & Employability Workshops

The foundation also operates The Street Soccer School program, delivered at partnering Primary and Secondary Schools also over a 10-week period. This provides vulnerable and dis-engaged Primary and Secondary school students with a mix of professional football coaching for health and wellbeing purposes, in addition to the training of a positive mindset. The aim of this is to help build confidence, self-belief, aspiration and emotional intelligence. Changing attitudes and behaviours to affect positive future outcomes.

Both the Street Soccer Academy and Street Soccer School programs use the power of football to help young people want - and be able - to make a change in their lives for the better. The proven impact of both programs instils greater confidence and self-belief in young people; improves their health and well-being, and empowers participants to take positive action; encouraging individuals throughout to reach their goals, both on and off the pitch, and to inspire others to do the same.

Safeguarding in the Street Soccer Foundation

Sadly, it’s not uncommon for members of the Street Soccer Foundation to experience issues such as mental health, domestic violence, gangs or even drug and alcohol abuse. These are themes affecting many young people across the country, and almost all members will encounter some adversity at some point in their lives.

How Will The Safeguarding Company Support The Foundation?

Our solution, MyConcern is the Award-Winning Safeguarding Software created by child protection experts to securely and effectively record, report and manage all safeguarding and wellbeing concerns about young people or adults at risk who connect with sports and charities. Already being used by many schools in the UK and internationally it’s now being adopted by other sectors to manage the needs of young people in settings outside education.

Staff working with the foundation will now benefit from a trusted and secure online platform, enabling early intervention and transforming existing safeguarding processes to minimise risk and ensure compliance. They can also enjoy the peace of mind that they are meeting their statutory, legal and moral obligations to the people in their care, whilst also providing evidence for court proceedings. The MyConcern Companion App will also come in handy, as it is perfect for safeguarding on the go, or reporting an issue whilst in the middle of a football field!

Martin Baker CEO of The Safeguarding Company explains

“It is a huge privilege for us to partner with The Street Soccer Foundation. The protection of vulnerable young people is at the heart of everything we do, so to have the opportunity to work with this excellent charity means a great deal to us. The Foundation does vitally important work and I am certain that our collaboration will help to benefit even more young people in need.”

Keith Mabbutt CEO of Street Soccer said

“All our team and volunteers have both a professional duty of care for the welfare and safety of children and young adults at risk of harm with whom they work, and an essential role to play in providing a safe and positive environment for everyone involved in the work and activities of both our Academy and Schools’ programmes. We make it clear that safeguarding is everyone’s business and we take seriously our responsibilities to promote the welfare and safeguarding of all children and young adults at risk of harm entrusted to our care. We are proud to have now partnered with MyConcern – a Queen’s Award-winning safeguarding platform – to further achieve early intervention as required in our constant endeavour to protect, best educate and inform all those we support and work with.”

MyConcern For Football

MyConcern is already used by a significant number of clubs in the Premier League and English Football league to manage the wellbeing of their members and youth teams. Street Soccer can now also benefit from helping its members more efficiently and effectively, allowing them to continue to provide the same great level of support and help for those they come into contact with.

We’re thrilled to work in partnership with the Street Soccer Foundation and believe that it’s a relationship that will keep safeguarding and the protection of those most vulnerable in our society high on the agenda.

Find out more about the Street Soccer Foundation here.