Our Vision
and Mission
Our Vision
Our vision is to reduce the inequalities in Essex that prevent fair access to physical activity and sport by empowering disadvantaged communities and changing lives, especially for children and young people, girls and women, people with disabilities and long term health conditions, and ethnically diverse communities.
Our mission
Our mission is to work in partnership with locally trusted organisations to deliver projects and programmes that are impactful and sustainable.
OUR KEY OUTCOMES
The key outcomes that we have identified in our theory of change are:
Improve health and wellbeing
- The benefits of an active lifestyle to our physical and mental health are enormous.
Reducing crime
- Sport and physical activity is now a proven tool to help reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Improve education and employment
- Increasing the knowledge and skills of a wide range of organisations, coaches, leaders, and volunteers.
To achieve these outcomes, we have identified five key strategic priorities:
Use physical activity and sport to prevent youth crime and violence
Youth violence is increasing significantly in Essex, especially the involvement of a weapon in youth offending. In Essex, 89% of the youth violence is attributable to just 10% of all police suspects. A strong evidence base has been developed over the past 10 years in the UK demonstrating that sport can have a positive impact on reducing youth offending.
Tackling holiday inactivity and food poverty
School holidays can be pressure points for some families because of increased costs and reduced incomes. Some children are more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health. Some children from lower-income families are less likely to access fun activities. Free holiday clubs are a response to this issue. They can work best when they provide consistent and easily accessible activities, for more than just breakfast or lunch.
Since 2018 we have developed and supported a network over 100 locally trusted organisations from a range of system settings, including voluntary groups, charities, housing and residents’ associations, sports clubs, youth clubs, local authority teams, parish councils and food banks. Working together we have been able to evidence the need of holiday activity and food clubs during the school holidays and secure funding through the Essex Local Delivery Pilot, Essex County Council and more recently through the Department for Educations HAF programme.
Supporting children and young people experiencing low levels of emotional wellbeing through physical activity
The prevalence of children and young people experiencing poor mental health across Essex is increasing, with 1 in 5 having a mental health problem. This can impact on many aspects of young people’s lives, including relationships with friends and family, education, and future employment.
Physical activity and sport can play a crucial part in improving children and young people mental health and wellbeing, such as improving mood, managing stress or anxiety, improving self-esteem and giving young people a safe place, where they feel they belong, to connect with other people. We work with a network of locally trusted organisations to ensure that young people experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing are given the opportunity take part in a range of inclusive physical activities as part of their wider support.
Build the capacity of the sport for development sector
We have developed a network of over 200 locally trusted organisations (LTOs) who are rooted in their local community, and collaborate with Active Essex Foundation and each other to use sport and physical activity to achieve a host of social, health, and economic outcomes. We are committed to building the capacity of the sport for development sector, and creating a strong network to ensure sharing of knowledge and resources.
ABCD is a key part of how we work at Active Essex Foundation. By working with a network of locally trusted organisations we are committed to respond to what is going on in local communities and be able to enhance what is already happening in the communities of Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
Adopting an ABCD approach ensures that the focus is on what is strong, not what is wrong. ABCD is the way to build healthier, safer, prosperous and more inclusive communities from the ground up, with citizens in the lead.