CUKI FC
The Pitch
Problem statement
Manchester-based charity, Families Against Violence, supports principally Black and ethnic minority families in the Moss Side area, helping to prevent young people getting sucked into anti-social behaviour, criminal activity, gangs and violence. Football is used as an engagement tool. Once a relationship is formed, mentoring & role models are provided and pathways into training & employment or specialist support signposted. Our programme - “Can you Kick it?” (CUKI) - challenges children to develop & practice their football skills supported by experienced coaches. 100+ young males attend our 2 weekly sessions. Post-lockdown the older teenage players clamoured for a competitive dimension.
Solution
This need was addressed by creating CUKI FC and registering it with the Manchester FA. An Under 21 team has been entered in the Manchester Amateur Sunday League for the first time in 2021/22. We pride ourselves in helping hard to reach young people to have better chances in life. CUKI FC is something of a showcase for what can be achieved. Running a football club in a formal competitive league is not cheap and we need financial support to get it off the ground and to enable it to survive and, hopefully, expand. We estimate that roughly £8k is needed to get CUKI FC started and to run it for its first season. We have already received enough financial and in-kind support to start.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
We work with the young people concerned regularly and creating and running CUKI FC, with the full involvement of our young people, is a natural extension of what we are already doing. Conversely, to not run a club competing in a competitive league would be seen as a major negative by our young people
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Pitch Hire for Matches | £1,050 |
| Equipment | £1,000 |
| Fees | £950 |
Beneficiaries
100 people
Expected impact
Success with CUKI FC is measured in terms of a group of young adults learning to compete in a team sport and absorbing the disciplines of hard work, team work and respect for authority. Playing success, in terms of promotion to a higher league would be a bonus. Furthermore, the sustainability of the club will provide an inspiration for younger, up and coming players and will demonstrate that there is a place for them in society to thrive and have fun.
Track record
The coaching team that run CUKI FC have successfully run projects for young people for a number of years. Currently they run 5 separate session per week for children and young people – equate to over 200 separate engagements per week. In addition, the team run camps in the School Holidays. Most recently a 6-day Camp at Christmas, with 80+ attendees each day. Last summer they ran a 5-week Camp with a similar number of attendees per day. Each of these Camps combined sporting activities with classroom work addressing such subjects as gangs and street crime, drugs, Black History and taking charge of your life.