'Tackle IT' is an exciting partnership initiative between Sunderland Youth Offending Service and Sunderland Premiership Football Club, to tackle racism, antisocial behaviour, and bullying and promote good citizenship. The programme developed to be delivered in schools was in response to the negative coverage in the national and local media of the death of an asylum seeker in Sunderland and the subsequent racist behaviour identified within local communities.

For more information on the foundation please visit the website www.safc.com/foundation

That's Entertainment

A recent project financed from the Recovered Assets Fund as part of the Tackle It programme worked with around 20 looked after young people to create a film 'That's Entertainment' in a novel attempt to educate young people about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Theatre production 'Cap-a-Pie' worked with around 20 children and young people to create the film. The scriptwriter spent time talking to the youngsters to understand the situations teenagers found themselves in and to define the issues.

Alan Scott (acting YOS Manager) explained how the YOS were looking for an innovative way of raising awareness of the importance of good citizenship and highlighting the issues linking alcohol and anti-social behaviour. He said "the film was a fantastic project and had the extra benefit of involving young people in all aspects of the production".

Developments Surpass Expectations

The developments within Tackle it continues to surpass any of the original expectations from their management team. However, instead of standing back and admiring it’s success the management team recently took time out to celebrate some of the results of this success and also plan the current developments and partnerships the programme has confirmed for the coming months of 2006.

This development event took place on Saturday 25th March at the Stadium of Light during Sunderland’s game with Blackburn. Present at the event were representatives from Education, Youth Justice Board, Police, Youth Offending Service and the Football Foundation. However most importantly services users were also their the celebrate some of the results of one of the delivery arms of Tackle it. SAFC foundation is proud to report back that since its inception we have managed to deliver in 30 Primary Schools and work with over 1500 young people.

Planned programmes over the next few months include; a film project (drink and disorder) with Cap a pie Drama Company, An animation project (substance misuse) with Museums O.R.O.L. and Citizenship work with Tyne and Wear Basketball Development. There is also the continuation of the partnership work with SAFC Foundation during the summer months leading into the new school year.

For further information on Wear Kids (part of Sunderland's Children's Fund) or Tackle it please contact either Jack Saward, Early Intervention Coordinator or Alan Scott, Prevention Manager on 0191 5663000

The success of the programme, which is less than eight months old, has received wide spread acclaims from schools and the press and as a result is now set to be launched in prisons to tackle the same issues with high-risk young people. The ‘Tackle It’ programme promotes the good citizenship messages through coaching footballing core skills and positive role modeling with rewards being given for not winning but participating and demonstrating a positive attitude towards others.

National and local media coverage of the death of an asylum seeker in Sunderland highlighted racist attitudes within community culture as well as racist behaviour demonstrated by the young people. This was evidenced by the emergence of a strong British Nationalist Party movement within Sunderland. As a result the 'Tackle It' programme was launched. It was decided that rather than focus on tackling racism alone it would be far more practical and effective if the programme could promote a good citizenship message. This would include an anti racism, anti bullying message as well as look at the effect of anti social behaviour on the community.

'Tackle It' was launched in February 2005 in partnership with Sunderland Football Club . The programme was delivering in schools in the north of the city, a high crime area and an area of high depravation. The course which ran over six sessions used core football skills, work sheets, quizzes and the positive role modeling of the premiership footballers to promote the good citizenship message.

Over the passed eight months the programme has delivered the programme to over 500 young people in 12 schools as well as linking to a community policing initiative 'Operation Griffin' over the summer months to take the Tackle It message into the community. Recent statistics produce show that the groups of young people attending the 'Tackle It' programme demonstrated on average 71% improvement in awareness of racism, bullying and antisocial behaviour issues. Also there was a marked improvement in young peoples confidence and self esteem before and after they had attended the 'Tackle It' courses, with 73% demonstrating improved confidence.

The programme has proved to be an incredible success in the short time it has been running with more schools wanting the course to be run in their school. Resulting from the acclaim received the course is now programmed to run as part of the education programme in a major young offenders institute in an effort to help high risk young people develop their citizenship skills prior to release. A project that is strongly supported by the prison system and is of great interest to the Youth Justice Board.

Innovation and Achievement

Tackle it offers the opportunity promote good citizenship across the city by working with young people to raises their awareness of the issues caused in their communities by racism, bullying and antisocial behaviour.

The reason Tackle it is successful is that the North East of England is renowned for its fanaticism for football and the loyalty shown by the fans is second to none. So by introducing messages endorsed by their footballing hero's has help get the message across.

The courses delivered in schools uses a reward system for participating well in exercises and discussion and for attitude rather than winning the games of football. Prizes include 'Star Cards', these are small cards with the picture of the young persons favourite player with statistics about the player and a good citizenship message on the reverse endorsed by the player " Always think how your behaviour affects other people". Certificates and trips to the football games. This unique approach certainly is a hit with the young people who commented on the sessions by saying "Mint! Superb! Fantastic!" (Yr 5 pupils Valley Road Primary)Teachers asked about the same course commented, " The course has been challenging, fun, rewarding and delivered extremely competently by the coach. All of the students who participated have moved forward in their thinking and have Tackled It" (Deputy Head Witherwack primary).

To help give the messages carried by the Tackle It programme every young person who participates receives a Tackle It wristband. These bands have a great value to the young person as you can only get one if you complete the course but also the Sunderland premiership footballers wore the wristband in a home game as part of the programme launch.

New Approach

As a result of the level of success demonstrated by the school football based Tackle It interventions, Wear Kids looked at how to carry the message forward. As a result the Tackle It ‘Hoy you’ programme was delivered in twelve different primary schools across the City of Sunderland. Gibber, an issue based drama company commissioned to devise and deliver an interactive drama workshop exploring the issues of antisocial behaviour with year six pupils. ‘Hoy you’ challenged the young peoples opinions of the world around them. By using interactive styles the sessions allowed young people to become involved in the story understand the thinking and personalities of the characters. Issues covered in these drama workshops included, the importance and understanding of social rules, peer pressure, the danger and consequences of antisocial behaviour and how their actions impacted on others at the end of the workshops the children were surveyed to test the impact. When asked, “ do you think rules are important?" 100% answered YES. One young person said, “I learned to think what could happen to other people and what it’s like from their view point”. Teachers also commented favourably about the Tackle It ‘Hoy you’ programme saying, “Really enjoyed it –provided great stimulus for discussions. More please! Children tend to take more notice when someone else presents the issues in a practical workshop approach. Thanks”

The Tackle It programme relies on attracting external funding to run and develop the programme and have recently secured funding to run a ‘Tackle It’ substance misuse programme, working in partnership with Arts.Com an education directorate arts programme several teachers and artists have received level one training in substance misuse from the Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust and worked with groups of children and young people across the city to develop arts based projects looking at the issues and effects of young peoples substance abuse.

Top Scorer Award

The Top Scorer Award highlights and rewards special young people from Sunderland AFC Foundation educational football related projects, including Tackle It. The celebration event was held on 1st November 2005 at the Stadium of Light.

Adam Jones received the Tackle It award, which was sponsored by Wear Kids. In addition to one young person receiving an award for each of the educational football related projects, Sunderland AFC also awarded an overall winner. Adam Jones also received this award. It was present by Sunderland SAFC player John Stead.