Kickz

QPR in the Community Trust currently delivers 3 Kickz projects in West London. Kickz aims to engage young people living in disadvantaged communities who may otherwise be difficult to reach. Its vision is “to target some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country in order to create safer, stronger, more respectful communities through the development of young peoples’ potential”.

The scheme is designed to:

• engage young people (aged 12-18yrs) in a range of constructive activities
• create routes into education, training and employment
• encourage volunteering within projects and throughout the target neighbourhoods
• 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

QPR in the Community Trust work with local partners to ensure that the project is engaging with the right young people.

Sarah Tickner, Community Engagement and Investment manager from Brent Housing Partnership is one of those partners, she says:

“The QPR Kickz projects have been extremely popular amongst young people and the project has extraordinary success stories. Ochuko Igbiri and John Baptiste Madika are 2 of many young people who have benefited from the scheme. Ochuko & John were participants of the Harlesden project, showing enthusiasm and affection for the project they were keen to gain qualifications in sports leadership. As well as football young people are educated on the dangers of criminality in the borough, the MET Police cover topics such as knife crime, gun crime, joint enterprise and the issues of being involved in gangs...”

QPR in the Community Trust then paid for John & Ochuko to go on their FA Level 1 qualification, the two boys passed their course and started volunteering with the project. They were soon employed by the club and are now working on the Kickz project in Harlesden as well as projects for disabled people in the area. “Kickz has made a real difference to my life” says Ochuko. “its given me a lot of confidence in myself and it makes a difference to the kids as it’s a safe place to go and hang out after school”.

The project is not only successful for creating a safer more respectful community but it also paying dividends on the pitch. Having entered the national Kickz Cup the Wembley U14 boys reached the final of the Southern Qualifiers, losing narrowly to Chelsea. Reaching the final was a massive achievement as they were up against teams from Tottenham, Watford, Barnet and Arsenal.

By qualifying for the national finals the U14’s travelled to the Wembley Powerleague for the national finals. It was here where their togetherness and skill shone and they finished runners up, losing again in the final – this time to West Ham. An extraordinary achievement by a group of young people who only know each other by engaging in Kickz.

QPR in the Community Trust current deliver 3 Kickz projects. The details can be found below:

Wembley

Harlesden

Hayes

For more information please contact Gareth Dixon on garethd@qpr.co.uk