Our Story
Our journey began when co-founders James Mapstone and Justin Coleman started working together in HMP&YOI Ashfield. James managed the Physical Education Department, while Justin supported the development and resettlement of young people in various roles.
James developed a Sport Academy within the prison and founded 2nd Chance Project CIC in 2008 to enhance support for young people leaving custody. In 2009, the project expanded to HMYOI Portland as part of the Sky One series “Football Behind Bars,” starring football legend Ian Wright. This is when Justin joined the team, and as they say, the rest is history.
Despite building a body of evidence, their progress faced hurdles due to a general misunderstanding of sport’s role in criminal justice and a gap in cross-sector coordination. It was then that key stakeholders, including senior leaders in government, encouraged 2nd Chance, supported by Comic Relief, to bridge these divides.
As the initial project concluded, government leaders acknowledged our sectoral contributions, leading to the creation of the Alliance of Sport (AoS), as a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Today, AoS is widely regarded as a leading organisation supporting governments, organisations and professionals in integrating physical activity and sport across welfare and justice systems. We unite and empower professionals, build a robust body of evidence, and advocate through policy development initiatives and campaigns to promote healthier lives and safer communities.
Since registering as a charity in 2019, AoS has become a go-to for partners such as the Youth Justice Board, NHS England, Thailand Institute of Justice, UN Office of Drugs and Crime, Ministry of Justice, and Sport England, supported by grants from incredible supporters such as Comic Relief, the John Armitage Charitable Trust and the London Marathon Foundation.
Now, AoS is on a mission to help people build healthier lives and safer communities.
We envision a just world where the transformative power of physical activity and sport is universally understood and adopted in plans for building a safer, healthier and fairer society.
Our values and behaviours are guided by a commitment to:
- Lead the way: Bring together key players and coach them to become high-performing teams.
- Build the case for change: Review performance and analyse data to create solution-focused tactics.
- Make the difference: Execute winning game plans with creativity, passion, and commitment.
Our motto, #TogetherWeDid embodies the spirit of unity, serving as a golden thread that weaves through every aspect of our operations and underscores our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion