Why young people and sport should be at the heart of our recovery
We're urging everyone to support the Sports Recovery Fund and ensure sport is at the heart of our recovery from the disastrous effects of this pandemic. In our latest viewpoint, our Managing Director Sarah has called upon everyone to support the fund and to put young people at the centre of our future.
As Sporting clubs and organisations across the UK join as one force to sign the petition for a Sports Recovery Fund, it has provided us here at Dallaglio RugbyWorks with an opportunity to speak up and fight for the future of sport and young people.
We know the challenges young people face, which have been increased with the uncertainty around the Coronavirus pandemic and the impact it has had on their future.
Our whole purpose as an organisation is to help change the lives of young people for the better and we know the challenges they face in normal life to succeed. These challenges have only been increased and heightened with the uncertainty around the Coronavirus pandemic and the impact it has had on their future.
Our mentors go into schools across England and Wales on a daily basis and are acutely aware of the essential guidance and support young people need to make the right steps towards a positive and productive future. The fundamental issue is the lack of opportunities for young people who are on the periphery of the education landscape and how sport can help them to reengage with education and life in general.
We know how much untapped potential there is within the young people we support and how frustrating it is knowing that the additional help they could do with is sometimes not there. We, in our unique and brilliant way, will do everything in our power to set them on the right path, and we know we’ve had some great success – but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be supported in any way possible.
That’s why we’ve backed the calls for the Sports Recovery Fund, so that sport can be at the heart of getting us all back up on our feet and active, particularly those disadvantaged young people we work with.
They want what I want – a real change in backing our youth and sport services, so young people can enjoy an active and fulfilling future.
Too often they are left behind without the necessary guidance and structure in their lives which can lead them to heading towards a negative pathway. As we’ve seen on so many occasions through our work, sport can be the spark to help young people achieve success in society. Our Founder, Lawrence Dallaglio, is the perfect example of how sport can be used to overcome challenges in life to eventually become a legend of the sport he took up as a youngster.
That’s why The Government needs to provide a sustainable sport offer which will support young people from all backgrounds. If some of our young people have missed out on life and opportunities due to the pandemic, imagine the disastrous effect this could have on disadvantaged young people, who already do not have the opportunities of their peers.
Lawrence has spent over a decade campaigning to support and improve the lives of young people through sport. Now is the time for the Government to follow in his footsteps and provide a future that puts sport at the core of a healthy and prosperous society.
Sarah Mortiboys
Managing Director
Dallaglio RugbyWorks
