Saints in the Community has a strong commitment to offer an inclusive programme ensuring all members of the community have access to our programme irrespective of social challenges.

The Trust using the power of football to engage with a wide range of partners, with a focus on achieving social and educational objectives through capturing the imagination of young people. The Trust now delivers three sustainable inclusion projects all part funded by the Football Foundation who now inject over £165 000 into the programme each year

Kickz

The Trust works in partnership with the Football Foundation to deliver Kickz. The project targets the most disadvantaged areas of the city offering young people aged 12-18 years, the chance to take part in positive activity, three nights a week, 48 weeks of the year.

Kickz aims to:

• Engage young people in a range of constructive activities which link to the Every Child Matters framework.
• Break down barriers between the police and young people.
• Reduce crime and anti social behaviour in the targeted neighbourhoods.
• Increase the playing, coaching and officiating opportunities for participants.
• Create routes into education, training and employment.
• Encourage volunteering within projects and throughout the target neighbourhoods.
• Increase young people's interest in and connections with the professional game.

Based in the Herefield district of Southampton, Kickz involves taking constructive activity into a neighbourhood which has high instances of anti-social behaviour (ASB). The club and delivery partners provide the activities of the year at times that have been identified with high levels of crime or ASB. The three sessions include football coaching, competitions and a flexible session, the content of which will be influenced by the young people.

This could include aspects such as other sports (e.g. basketball, street dance and gym), music based sessions and a range of developmental activities e.g. Drug Awareness, Healthy Eating, Volunteering, Career Development and Anti-Weapons Workshops.

For more information on the Kickz project contact Jbhatti@saintsfc.co.uk or call 0845 6889370.

SaintsAbility

Part funded by the Football Foundation and supported by Hampshire FA, SaintsAbility offers football development programmes for young people and adults with special needs.

Employing a dedicated full time officer the scheme visits schools during the week and offers weekend coaching courses for both young people and adults at The Oasis Academy click here for more details.

The projects works within the FA framework for disability football and the Trust now have a junior and adult team competing in regional festivals throughout the spring and summer months.

For further details on the disability coaching programme contact community@saintfc.co.uk or call 0845 6889370.

Racism Just Aint Saintly

Football has been campaigning against racism for a number of years, promoting both by the need to break the historic link between football and racism and by drawing on the game's universal appeal to influence attitudes and behaviour.

The Racism Just Aint Saintly campaign was set up in 2002 as a joint initiative between Southampton City Council and Southampton FC to promote the Football Club's commit to zero tolerance to any form of racism at St Marys Stadium.

The project uses the platform of a Matchday to educate the fan base on the Club's policies which is supported by the players and coaching staff. The Club donates over 100 matchday tickets to the local community which has a large population of black minority and ethnic groups represented within the immediate stadium vicinity.

The local campaign very much supports the football industry's anti racism work "Kick Racism Out of Football" which celebrates the diversity of football during the National Week of Action in October each year.

If you would like further information on the campaign, please contact Saints in the Community on 0845 6889370. For information on the national Lets Kick Racism Out of Football campaign click here.

The Onside Project

Part funded by the Football Foundation for a five year term in 2005, it is designed to sustain and enhance the work undertaken to date through the Racism Just Ain't Saintly (RJAS) working group set up in 2002. Through the vehicle of football the project promotes a zero tolerance to forms of racism and to educate young people of the diverse range of communities now living in Southampton.

The funded activities will be delivered outside of curriculum time, and will have a structured weekly programme for both term and holiday periods. Children for the inner city district will have the opportunity to take part in the coaching activities.

The project also works with local agencies and organisations delivering workshops to young people on issues such as migration and the diverse range of communities that now make up the modern day society.

In partnership with Hyde Housing Association local events are held to enhance the scheme with the annual junior world cup competition and stadium tours for local residents.

For further information on the football and inclusion projects contact jbhatti@saintsfc.co.uk or call 0845 6889370.