Young people's lives transformed through sports and arts Here are just a few stories that show how you've made a positive impact in young lives through projects involving physical activity and creativity in Haringey. Mohammed's story Mohamed is a young child with determination whose family is struggling financially due to their low income. Through our football club programme, Mohamed was able to connect with like-minded individuals and foster camaraderie with peers. The organised sessions led by qualified coaches improved his physical well-being and created an accepting atmosphere where kids like Mohamed may grow up to be healthy, socially and physically. Alex's story Before joining, I felt like I was the only one going through these problems, but being part of this group made me realize I’m not alone. I’ve made friends who really get me, and that’s made such a difference. D's story One of the young boys that attended the project had lost his father due to Covid. He also had autism thus the move to secondary school was due to be a bit difficult for him. The sessions allowed him to be around adults who he was familiar with as we worked in his primary school. Because he knew and trusted the adults, he felt confident speaking and being around new people. He was able to make friends with many of the children and was lucky to find a few who were also going to be attending his secondary school. His mum had expressed at the beginning of the project that he had been very withdrawn at home, and he was not looking forward to moving schools. However, by the end of the project he was more optimistic, and his mum was very grateful for the opportunity to get him out the house and involved in the sessions as it added some normality to his life. Maria's story Playing netball has helped me to socialise with new people in new situations, especially people from different backgrounds to me, I really enjoy sports and am studying GCSE P.E. so it was great to learn about a new sport - we also went on a trip to watch a cricket tournament during our summer break’. J's story A 17-year-old refugee girl, who had recently relocated to Haringey, joined our program after experiencing feelings of isolation and difficulty adjusting to life in a new country. Over the course of the project, she built meaningful friendships with other girls in the group and felt a stronger sense of belonging in her community. Her language skills improved, and she felt more confident navigating social situations. She shared that the project had helped her feel less isolated and more hopeful about her future. With her newfound confidence, she began participating in extracurricular activities at college and is now attending other opportunities in Haringey. Andrea's story 'This project helped me feel less isolated. I was able to connect with other girls who are going through similar things, and that made me feel like I belong.' Lian's story ‘Lian was quite shy, not comfortable in different environments, but since joining the netball sessions she is able to talk to people, join in with activities or even just join conversations. Whether it's dealing with a sudden change of plans, adapting to a new environment, or overcoming unexpected challenges, I know she can handle it. Her experience with flexibility in sports is giving her the tools and mindset to navigate whatever life throws her way’. Manage Cookie Preferences