Battersea football coach awarded national ‘role model of the year’ award

A man from Battersea has been named ‘Role Model of the Year’ by national project Levelling the Playing Field.

Jack Badu, 32, who coaches young people at Street Soccer London, was chosen from leaders at 40 organisations across the country.

Jack is the only full-time member of staff at Street Soccer London and has overall responsibility for all its youth programmes delivered from the Black Prince Community Hub on the Ethelred Estate in Kennington.

The organisation uses football to empower anyone who is affected by social exclusion.

At the awards event, which took part at Decathlon Surrey Quays, Jack said the accolade had made him think back to previous experiences with his coaches. “I realised that some of my coaches have made the biggest impact in my life,” he said. “I just really enjoy having the privilege of being able to play my part.”

Jack said consistency and embedding projects within communities for the long term, as opposed to shorter timeframes, was key to making an impact. “When they know you’re going to be there every single week. 51 weeks a year, then they start to trust. People let their guard down and understand.”

Levelling the Playing Field (LtPF) is a national project using sport and physical activity to tackle over-representation of ethnically diverse children in the youth justice system.

Street Soccer London is part of the £1.7m LtPF project funded by the London Marathon Charitable Trust and co-managed by the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice and the Youth Justice Board.

From its inception at the start of 2020, the programme has evolved from community outreach during lockdown to open football sessions and now a well-respected Lambeth organisation to which young people are referred for much more than the sporting activity on offer.

On any given day anywhere from 40-80 young people aged 12-19 arrive with varying levels of energy and application.

Jack’s colleague Laura Foster added: “The unique way Jack coaches and facilitates has undoubtedly led to the success of this programme over the past three years.

“Anyone who works in the field knows how difficult it can be to deliver day in day out, sessions, spaces and opportunities which keep young people engaged and returning to programmes like Street Soccer.

“Jack has also been key in creating a structure of information sharing and open communication with schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), alternative provisions and other outside agencies which our young people may be involved with so that any activity and support can be shaped appropriately.”

Pictured top: Jack gives a lesson at Street Soccer London (Picture: Street Soccer London)