Hazel the Playmaker | FBB - A charity update from Raise Your Hands | Supporting Small Charities

Hazel the Playmaker

Hazel the Playmaker

Sport 4 Life UK

New Delivery Model for S4L

We were very excited to launch of our new delivery model in February 2020. We listened to young people and tested news ways of working. It’s a youth-led and bespoke service that achieves better impact for our young people.

Young people like Hazel Robinson (aged 13) who grew up in single parent household with just her mum and younger brother.

Hazel’s mum would often need to work long hours to make ends meet and this meant that Hazel would have to stay with her aunt, and look after her young brother. At school, she was a bright student, but became increasingly disruptive in class and her teachers were concerned about her academic progress.

Hazel was signposted to take part in a sports-themed training programme delivered at her school by Sport 4 Life.  After a couple of rocky weeks, where Hazel was reluctant to engage, Sport 4 Life staff made a break through when Hazel discovered she enjoyed playing handball. Staff used this as opportunity to strike up a positive relationship with Hazel to support and informally mentor her in a way that was not possible for teachers to do so.

Hazel developed key personal skills throughout the training programme that would help her in personal life, academic life and beyond. She learnt the value of teamwork, discipline, good communication, leadership, and respect. In the process, she earned a Sports Leaders UK PlayMakers Award.

Having caught the bug, Sport 4 Life staff were able to arrange it so that Hazel was able to attend its community sports sessions outside of school she continued to develop her skills. Her teachers were pleased with the progress she has made following Sport 4 Life’s intervention and hope it will continue!

Here’s our new model in action.

Hazel the Playmaker

This is a charity update was posted on 1 February 2020.