Sheffield skatepark wins £48,000 investment to help vulnerable young people

A Sheffield indoor skatepark has been awarded £48,748 funding to continue their work helping vulnerable young people across the city.
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Onboard Skatepark Sheffield, located on Little London Road in Heeley, received the multi-thousand investment through the Youth Endowment Grant, an initiative to tackle youth offending.

The funding will enable the indoor park, which was founded in 2012, to provide activities to help the most vulnerable young people in South Yorkshire.

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Each young person will be appointed a key worker to work with them directly three to four times a week during the summer holidays and the rest of the year, to reduce their involvement with criminalised behaviour.

A Sheffield indoor skatepark will continue to work with young people in the region to reduce criminalised behaviour.A Sheffield indoor skatepark will continue to work with young people in the region to reduce criminalised behaviour.
A Sheffield indoor skatepark will continue to work with young people in the region to reduce criminalised behaviour.

Onboard will also use remote learning and face to face activities to build young people’s confidence and self esteem in both social and educational settings.

The organisation which provides alternative education support to vulnerable young people across the region, hosts 10,000 sessions a year and works closely with schools, South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit and Sheffield City Council.Founder of Onboard Skatepark Amy Cooper said: “There is a major gap in provision during holidays and typically these young people regress in their education attainment and are vulnerable to abuse, self-harm, ASB and criminalized behaviour.

"Together with the effects of Covid-19 this has put huge pressure on some young people and their families.

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“Over the past couple of years we have successfully piloted various voluntary and remote enrichment activities.

Onboard Skatepark have received £48,000 to protect vulnerable people in South Yorkshire.Onboard Skatepark have received £48,000 to protect vulnerable people in South Yorkshire.
Onboard Skatepark have received £48,000 to protect vulnerable people in South Yorkshire.

"We are delighted that with the support of the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit and grant from the Youth Endowment Fund we will now be able to pull all this learning together to provide consistent year-round support and to evaluate the impact.”

“We have a strong, enthusiastic, experienced staff team that can deliver really engaging activities through extreme sports and develop trusted bonds with the young people.

"This trust is vital.

"The work has already begun and there has been a real buzz.

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"There is so much activity taking place - both cleaning and riding outdoor skateparks, building BMX, photography and editing for example.

"Our partnership with other professionals has already seen social workers on BMX and Community Youth Team workers on scooters!”

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