PCC and partners harness the power of football to tackle serious violence

More than 170 aspiring young footballers have been put through their paces as part of two projects that aim to prevent and reduce involvement in serious violence, including violence against women and girls.  

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston has awarded government funding to Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council to enable them to support new schemes run by Cambridgeshire United Foundation that pair football drills training with off-pitch educational workshops to reduce the risk of young people engaging in serious violence and anti-social behaviour (ASB).  

The investment is part of a huge programme of youth crime prevention activity being funded across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through the Serious Violence Duty.

The Duty came into effect in January 2023 and requires organisations to work together to prevent and reduce serious violence by challenging risk-taking behaviour.  

In the first scheme, funding has been provided for 10 knife crime awareness workshops. Sessions are being delivered as part of ‘Premier League Kicks’ - a free, open access sports programme for young people aged eight to 18 in Cambridge, with sessions held every day of the week in four areas across the city.  

As part of the scheme, Cambridge United Foundation has teamed with Street Doctors – a charity providing first aid training to young people who have or potentially could be affected by street violence – for a three-session workshop across all four venues teaching young people how to urgently respond to victims of violence.

Jake Potts, Community Engagement Officer at Cambridge United Foundation, said: “The project has been very successful with over 75 young people taking part in the workshops. Staff from Cambridge United Foundation and Street Doctors have recognised that the young people attending understood the seriousness of the covered and showed a keen interest to listen and learn.”

In the second project, ‘Pledge United’, almost 100 boys have taken part in a six-session initiative offering football drills training followed by discussion-based sessions in the ‘dressing room’ to raise awareness of gender-based violence.

The programme has been created by Inspire Indonesia, a charity that aims to empower people to change lives through football, which has been adapted in partnership with Cambridge United Foundation to align with the British curriculum. In the sixth session, boys are encouraged to take a pledge to be part of the change and to offer their commitment to demonstrating change in their communities.  

So far in the 2024/25 academic year, pupils from three Cambridge schools and under-18 scholars from Cambridge United have been involved.

Kieran Wood, Youth Engagement Officer at Cambridge United Foundation, said: “We are aware that whilst gender violence is still an issue, the focus of our programme is upon the silent majority and encouraging and equipping young men to stand up to discrimination, inappropriate comments and ‘banter’ that can occur in dressing rooms or social situations, and to be advocates for women and girls.  

“Our vision is to see a culture changed by this next generation of young men, who understand their responsibilities when tackling VAWG.”

Darryl said: “I am proud of this partnership with Cambridge United and the progress being made to reach more young people through the power of football.

“The earlier we can challenge misogynistic attitudes and behaviour and promote gender equality the less likely girls will grow up in a world where they become the target of sexism, sexual harassment or violence.  

“Our children are the adults, parents and community members of the future and it is imperative we counteract harmful patterns of thinking or behaving before they become entrenched.  

“We have been working collectively with the force and our partners for some time to tackle serious violence in all its guises. In recognition that the issue cannot be tackled by one agency alone, activity is being coordinated at every level to address risk-taking behaviour, support intervention at the earliest possible opportunity and to reduce vulnerability to exploitation.”

Cllr Tom Sanderson, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, said: “As a County Council, we’re committed to creating a fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire, so we’re proud to support organisations like Cambridge United Foundation in their efforts to tackle serious violence in our communities.

“This programme engages young people, challenges risk-taking behaviour, and provides positive pathways away from violence. By creating safer futures for young people, projects like this will have a real and lasting impact.

“I’m immensely proud of our involvement and look forward to working with Cambridge United Foundation again in the future.”

Cllr Cameron Holloway, Cambridge City Council’s Executive Councillor for Community Safety, Homelessness and Wellbeing, added: “It’s fantastic to be continuing our work with the PCC and Cambridge United Foundation who play a key role in the White Ribbon awareness campaign each year, to reduce misogyny-related harm in Cambridge.

“One of our key priorities at the council-led Community Safety Partnership is reducing violence, including violence towards women and girls, and we recognise the power of sport, and football in particular, to engage boys in positive conversations which can change their views and behaviours. Through a combination of football training sessions and time talking to youth academy players, the team will help to prevent harmful attitudes to women and girls from developing.

“It’s particularly powerful for these conversations to be taking place in football dressing rooms, in a context where ‘banter’ can otherwise develop unchecked. By changing the narrative, the hope is that these young men will not only grow up to monitor their own attitudes, but to play a vital role in calling out harmful attitudes among their peers.”