Using Basketball to Create Safer Communities: Kent Safer Through Sport

Between October 2021 and September 2022, Kent Tigers Basketball Club (now operating as Tigers In The Community) delivered the Kent Safer Through Sport project in partnership with StreetGames, using basketball as a tool to engage young people at risk of disengagement, exploitation and youth violence.

Funded through a £3,000 StreetGames investment, the project formed part of the national Safer Through Sport programme, which aims to harness the power of Doorstep Sport to provide positive, diversionary activities for young people living in areas of higher deprivation Kent Tigers Signed Acceptance o….

Responding to Local Need

At the time of delivery, Tigers Basketball identified a clear need for accessible, informal sport opportunities for young people who were less likely to engage in traditional club environments. Many young people faced multiple barriers to participation, including cost, confidence, previous negative experiences of sport, or lack of trusted local provision.

The Kent Safer Through Sport project was designed to respond directly to these challenges by offering free or low-cost basketball sessions, delivered in familiar community settings and led by trusted coaches with strong local relationships.

Project Delivery

The project followed the StreetGames Doorstep Sport model, prioritising flexibility, inclusion and young person-led delivery. Sessions focused on creating a welcoming environment where participants could engage at their own pace, build trust with coaches and peers, and develop positive routines.

Across the delivery period, the project:

• Engaged approximately 50 individual young people
• Maintained regular attendance of 15–20 participants per session
• Retained at least 25 young people for sustained engagement over 12 weeks or more
• Supported a mix of male and female participants, with around 40% female participation

Sessions were delivered by experienced coaches who emphasised relationship-building, consistency and positive behaviour, ensuring that young people felt safe, valued and supported throughout.

Beyond Participation: Pathways and Progression

A key focus of the Kent Safer Through Sport project was progression beyond participation. Young people were supported to explore volunteering, leadership and training opportunities, helping them develop transferable skills linked to confidence, responsibility and employability.

As part of the programme:

• Young participants were supported into volunteering roles
• Several young people progressed into coaching and leadership pathways
• Participants developed skills linked to teamwork, communication and self-management

This approach reflected StreetGames’ Sport for Good principles, using sport not only as an activity, but as a platform for wider personal and social development Kent Tigers Signed Acceptance o….

Impact and Learning

The project demonstrated the effectiveness of informal, community-led sport in engaging young people who may otherwise be excluded from traditional provision. Consistent delivery, trusted relationships and flexible session design were key to sustaining engagement and achieving positive outcomes.

Importantly, Kent Safer Through Sport also contributed to the organisation’s longer-term development. Learning from the project informed future delivery models, strengthened local partnerships and reinforced the value of targeted, place-based approaches to tackling inequality through sport.

A Foundation for Future Work

The StreetGames investment provided more than short-term activity. It helped build capacity, confidence and credibility, enabling Kent Tigers — now Tigers In The Community — to continue developing programmes focused on safety, inclusion and opportunity for young people.

The Kent Safer Through Sport project stands as a strong example of how strategic investment in community sport can support safer communities, positive youth outcomes and sustainable local delivery.