Rudro Sen to lead ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ project
Rudro Sen has been appointed as Project Manager for Levelling The Playing Field – the Alliance of Sport’s new three-year project using sport to address disproportionality in the youth justice system.
Working in partnership with the Youth Justice Board, Sporting Equals and other stakeholders, the Alliance of Sport has received a record £1,000,000 grant from the London Marathon Charitable Trust to run the project, with a total budget of £1,714,752.
The project aims to use sport to engage and improve health and life outcomes for more than 11,200 BAME children who are at risk of entering, or who are already involved in the criminal justice system.
Rudro has declared himself “extremely excited” to get started on the project, which will be delivered in four target areas – London, Gwent, South Yorkshire and West Midlands.
He has a strong background in the Sport for Development sector, having worked on the Just For Kicks programme in his native Mumbai, India for several years, using football as a tool to improve life and leadership skills in around 1,000 under-privileged 10-16-year-olds.
More recently, having moved to London, he was a regional manager in Richmond and Hounslow for the National Citizen Service (NCS), working with 15-17-year-olds from diverse backgrounds on summer activity programmes.
“I have witnessed an eye-opening amount of disproportionality during my work in Sport for Development,” said Rudro. “That is what has led me to Levelling The Playing Field – it has definitely given me some context of the issues we’re tackling in the project.
“For me, this is an entry back into the Sport for Development world which is where my passion lies. It’s something I’m super excited about – just making a difference.”
Sport has played a huge part in Rudro’s life. Starting off in India as a medium pace bowler, he switched to the point guard role in basketball – “until everyone else started growing taller than me!” – before a passion for football took over (he is a keen Manchester United fan). He has also played badminton, hockey and table tennis to a good standard.
“Sport genuinely is the best tool to solve the world’s problems. I say that with absolute honesty,” he says. “I genuinely believe it has made me into the person I am today. It has given me friends, new skills, role models, it is a great way to expend your energy and aggression, and more than anything it’s an ideal diversion from other less beneficial distractions in a young person’s life.
“More than anything it is a great leveller. Once you step on that pitch, you’re all the same. That’s why I cannot wait to get started on Levelling The Playing Field; to use sport as a vehicle to address inequality in all its forms.”