A ‘beacon of hope’: Youth Justice Board Chair calls for support for Levelling the Playing Field project

The Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales has hailed the ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ (LtPF) project as a “beacon of hope” for vulnerable young people and called on national sports councils to step forward and support it after new research proved how effective the project has been.

Keith Fraser was speaking at the launch of new research into the LtPF project, which was overseen between 2020 and 2023 by the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice and funded by the London Marathon Foundation. More than 100 partner organisations engaged 35,672 children and young people in sport-based interventions across four areas (London, West Midlands, South Yorkshire, and Newport, South Wales) with 63% of them ethnically diverse.

GAMECHANGER

The launch event in Newport brought together key stakeholders and LtPF delivery organisations to hear about the research from the University of Birmingham, which describes the project as a potential ‘gamechanger’ for tackling inequalities in sport and youth justice.

A recent government report also rated it as ‘promising’ and, speaking at the launch event, Keith praised the project for its “unique focus on children with ethnically diverse backgrounds” and for how it had brought together “statutory and non-statutory organisations at a scale never seen before”.

He explained: “These children are less likely to access positive community-based activities such as sport, while at the same time are disproportionately more likely to come into contact with the justice system.”

Keith added: “These children were often marginalised, overlooked and faced numerous barriers that made them vulnerable to entering the justice system. But through the power of sport and physical activity, they were given the chance to take a step in a different direction.

RESILIENCE

“The impact this programme has had on their mental health, wellbeing, resilience, self-efficacy and trust cannot be underestimated. These are not just abstract qualities, they are the building blocks that enable children to realise their potential and rise above the challenges the face. To build a future where they can thrive and not just survive.

“I strongly believe that sport and physical activity is an enabler, it opens doors and enables you to talk about doing things differently with your life.”

Keith reflected: “My career in policing shaped my understanding of youth justice deeply. It taught me that youth justice is not just about punishment – it’s about prevention, compassion and collaboration. That experience, along with my role at the Youth Justice Board has underscored the importance of putting children at the centre of everything we do in the justice system.

“It’s in this context that I want to reflect on the Levelling the Playing Field initiative which has been a beacon of hope for so many children, especially those who are most vulnerable.”

CHALLENGES

Keith noted that the programme had not been without its challenges, especially as it was partly delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic and because of the need to build trust within communities, particularly among some smaller locally-based organisations who occasionally felt reticent about working with bigger statutory organisations.

But he added: “In time, these partnerships held and strengthened, which begs the question… why is this level of multi-agency working not routine?

The research report includes a series of recommendations which are aimed at building on the momentum achieved by the project. The first recommendation specifically calls on the sport councils for England and Wales to “invest in the growth and sustainability of the LtPF Community of Practice as a platform for tackling disparities in sport and physical activity”.

Keith expressed his thanks to the Alliance of Sport for its “inspiring leadership and vision” throughout the project, and concluded: “By focusing on prevention, early intervention, and diversion, we can keep children out of the justice system and help them stay on track to build a better future.

“Let’s keep up the good work. Together, we will continue to level the playing field for all children.”

• Read the LtPF summary report and research report.
• Visit the project website levellingtheplayingfield.org