Kickz

The Kickz project aims to build safer, stronger communities through the development of young peoples' potential. This allows young people the opportunity to engage in positive activities which deters them from anti-social behaviour.

As well as football and sports coaching and competitions, Kickz offers a range of other positive activities including, street dance, boxing, DJiing and dodgeball to name but a few. The sessions allow young people, including minority groups, to get involved in their community, break down barriers and make steps towards personal achievements.

The Kickz project is run with a partnership approach, and each project is lead with a steering group. The partners play a key part within the project by being able to deliver various work shops and sessions educating young people on issues they face on a daily basis, which include sexual health advice, stop smoking advice, the dangers of guns and knifes, CV writing, career advice and counselling.

Currently five Kickz projects run in Norfolk, across three nights a week, 48 weeks of the year at Dereham, North Walsham, North Lynn, Cobholm and Bowthorpe.

To date the Kickz projects have been a huge success, contributing to reduction in anti-social behaviour and crime within local communities.

Case study – Heidi Ward, Dereham Kickz

Heidi is an 18-year old who has been attending the Dereham Kickz since February 2010. Before being a regular participant on the programme, Heidi was known to the police for high levels of anti-social behaviour. She was told about the Kickz project after being informally referred by Dereham police. When she started, she had been on an Anti-Social Behaviour Contract (ABC).

She now attends Kickz regularly and has been noted in a quick turn around in her attitude towards others. She says she feels Kickz has increased her confidence and social skills. She volunteers frequently with setting up the grounds for matches and games, as well as taking her turn in refereeing. She says she knows very little about further education opportunities available to her, but she has hopes of getting into a sports related job, possibly coaching. She has also taken part in a Youth Forum concerning decision-making and many personal development workshops.

Heidi has attended police sessions based on Anti-Social Behaviour. With her experience gained from being subject to an ABC, she was able to answer most questions asked and provide some good examples of what restrictions could be implemented on them. She explained just exactly what was on the contract and what this stops you doing. This in turn made her peers listen to her story and hopefully learn from her mistakes.

Community Cohesion programme partners

For a full list of the partners and organisations who support our initatives, please visit our Partners page.