Young people in Plymouth have designed a new scheme to tackle one of the most common barriers to sport and physical activity: the cost of kit. Active & Empowered gives children and young people access to free and low-cost pre-loved sports clothing, trainers and equipment through a new Activewear section at The Uniform Store Plymouth.
The Uniform Store already lets families get good-quality donated school uniform for free or for a small donation, with no referral needed. Families can now get sportswear and kit in the same way.
The scheme is supported through the Plymouth Place Partnership, a city-wide collaboration led by Active Devon and funded by Sport England, alongside Plymouth City Council and a network of local partners. Connecting Youth CIC, which leads the partnership's youth voice work, supported a group of young people aged 13 to 17 to look at what stops their peers being active.
In workshops and discussions, affordability came up again and again. Many activities are free, but the cost of clothing, footwear and equipment often keeps children from taking part. The young people then named the initiative, designed its logo, shaped its values and messaging, and helped plan how it would be promoted across the city.
Active & Empowered builds on the Plymouth Football Boot Bank, which has already helped thousands of young people get donated football boots, and widens the offer to a much wider range of activities. It will also give unwanted sportswear a second life and cut textile waste.
Claire Beney of the Plymouth Place Partnership said: “This initiative is about much more than sports and activewear. It’s about removing barriers, reducing inequalities and ensuring every child and young person has the opportunity to enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of being active.”
Jon Dingle of Connecting Youth CIC said young people told the partnership that cost was stopping them and their friends from taking part. One of the young people involved said: “We know lots of young people who want to be active and join sports clubs, but sometimes they don’t have the right kit and feel worried about turning up without it.”
Luke Riggs, founder of the Plymouth Football Boot Bank, added: “Something as simple as a pair of football boots can be the difference between a young person taking part or sitting on the sidelines.”
For the sport for good sector, the scheme is a practical answer to the cost of kit, and a reminder that the people facing a barrier are often best placed to design the fix.
Source: Active Devon https://www.activedevon.org/active-empowered-new-initiative-helps-families-access-free-sportwear-and-get-active/