Giving people a second chance

Dozens of staff, students and members of local agencies gathered at the University for the launch of the Second Chance project.

The project works with hard to reach groups, such as the homeless, people in care and those with drug issues, to offer them the chance to access weekly sport sessions on campus.

It forms part of the Sport Universities North East England (SUNEE) scheme – a partnership between us and the four other North East universities to transform the delivery of sport across the region.

Second Chance runs football training on Tuesday afternoons and multi-sport sessions on Thursday afternoons. There are rewards for people who attend regularly and long term mentoring to support people who attend.

Pippa Bell, Participation Officer for Second Chance, works with participants and volunteers to help them go on and become coaches and referees.

Joseph Kean, from Lifeline, an organisation which works with people with drug problems, is really impressed with the Second Chance project.

He said: ‘I think it is a brilliant idea, getting people to access sport is an excellent intervention and should be used more often.’

For more information about the Second Chance project or other SUNEE initiatives, contact Vickie Todd, Sport Development Outreach Officer, on 01642 342267, or email v.todd@tees.ac.uk.

---