A support initiative designed to help NGBs of sport reach young people in low-income, underserved communities. This offer invites NGBs to join the StreetGames network, providing them with resources, connections, and expertise to engage more effectively with these young people and create lasting, positive change in their lives.
StreetGames, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of underserved young people through accessible sports and physical activity, aims to level the playing field for young people who face barriers to participation.
"37% of children and young people from low-income families feel they have opportunities to be physically active, compared to 57% from higher income families"
By partnering with NGBs and the wider sports sector, StreetGames strives to create a sustainable shift in how mainstream sports providers interact with youth from underserved communities. The offer is part of this mission, providing NGBs with an evidence-based approach built on StreetGames’ 15 years of experience in Doorstep Sport.
The Doorstep Sport model—at the heart of StreetGames’ approach—is designed to bring sports directly to young people in a way that resonates with them, promoting not just physical health but also resilience, social connections, and personal growth. By enabling NGBs to adopt Doorstep Sport principles, StreetGames seeks to build capacity within the sports sector to provide accessible, inclusive, and engaging sports programmes for young people in underserved communities.
StreetGames and Wales Netball launch Blitz Netball® to open up the sport to new audiences.
StreetGames and Wales Netball are proud to announce the launch of Blitz Netball®, an exciting new netball format codesigned in collaboration with young people from low-income communities across Wales.
Blitz Netball® is designed to be played anywhere and requires limited equipment, offering an informal and accessible version of the sport delivered on young people’s terms, right on their doorstep. The product is supported by an Activator Workshop and resources which provide volunteers, youth and community workers, sports coaches and young leaders with game ideas, basic rules and fun ways to introduce netball to young people in their communities.
StreetGames and Wales Netball were keen to better understand and address key barriers to participation in netball for young people living in low-income, underserved communities in order to develop an attractive offer in a safe, friendly and engaging environment with activities tailored to their interests.
To ensure that the end product was meaningfully co-produced with young people at its heart, StreetGames worked with three community organisations in North Wales – Aura Leisure & Libraries, Active Wrexham, and Coleg Cambria – to recruit a group of Young Advisors who were tasked with exploring the fundamentals of netball and the varied challenges experienced by their peers with accessing the sport.
Initial planning sessions were held in the community organisations’ premises, with the Young Advisors working with StreetGames and Wales Netball staff, including Welsh Feather and Cardiff Dragons’ player Phillipa Yarranton, to share their lived experiences and perceptions of the sport. The Young Advisors then came together at a ‘concept day’ to test and evaluate their co-designed activity and games, actively listening to feedback to refine their plans whilst working as a team to ensure that the activities and games were fun and accessible across a spectrum of needs, environments and motivations.
Claire Lane, StreetGames National Director for Wales, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Wales Netball on this project and are thrilled with the outcome. By actively involving young people in the design process, we have developed an offer that truly reflects their needs and interests. This initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of listening to and valuing youth perspectives.”
Keira Edwards, Wales Netball’s Head of Participation, said: “Working with StreetGames and learning from their expertise to create a version of our sport for young people, designed by young people has been brilliant. We’re so excited to see Blitz Netball® come to life over the coming months and years, and can’t wait to welcome the new faces Blitz Netball® brings to the Wales Netball family.”
Organisations can register their interest in the Blitz Netball® Activator at https://www.streetgames.org/the-training-academy/training-menu/blitz-netball-activator/
Why Join the StreetGames Network?
Joining the StreetGames network connects NGBs with a community of like-minded partners, practical tools, and resources while providing pathways for NGBs to develop their strategies for reaching underserved young people. The offer supports NGBs in creating opportunities that meet young people where they are, helping ensure that every child, regardless of background, has the chance to engage in meaningful physical activity.
By supporting sports providers in adapting their practices, StreetGames hopes to address the pressing inequality in sports access and inspire sustainable change across the sector. For interested NGBs, more information can be found on the new Changing Sport – The StreetGames Approach with National Governing Bodies landing page.
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