As we anticipate what sport will bring us in 2025, we might be tempted to look ahead to the major international tournaments in rugby, cricket and football. But there's another space to consider, less glamorous but absolutely vital, where sport is making an increasingly significant contribution to society – the growing cadre of sportsmen and women working as mentors in support of young people facing challenges and disadvantages.
Organisations such as the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust (DKHT), Dallaglio Rugbyworks, Football Beyond Borders and Streetgames use sportsmen and women to provide support, encouragement and a trusted connection for young people trapped in complex adverse situations around the country. Just turning up at a sports session isn't enough; it's about creating a relationship with a trusted mentor within that setting.
Successive governments constantly rediscover that there is no straightforward solution to support those "hardest to reach". Disadvantage and inequality have many different faces. Solutions need to flex for each individual and address multiple issues over a sustained period of time. Sport is no panacea, but as the Centre for Social Justice's 2023 report "Game Changer" demonstrated, sport's power is that it can work on multiple levels and bring physical, mental, emotional and social benefits in a single setting. It's time for current ministers to reread that report to see how sport offers an effective tool for social change.
この記事は The Guardian の January 06, 2025 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は The Guardian の January 06, 2025 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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