Our Theory of Change.
The impact we will make for young people before 2030, and how.
We are here to support young people and families to overcome the impact of experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through engagement with grassroots sports. Research shows us that in order for young people to overcome the impact of ACES, they need to build resilience through relationships with trusted adults; grassroots rugby is the perfect space for this to happen. We provide access and resources that a young person and family might need to enable them to engage with the sport, from kit to transport. We provide specific training to ensure adults are informed and equipped to provide the support and space that a young person needs. We are committed to ensuring that ACEs are mitigated through involvement in community sport, with everyone at star* scheme committed to developing young people into leaders of the future.
Our purpose:
To make a difference in the lives of young people (5-25 years old) who have experienced trauma including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or mental health events, so that they have high-self esteem, strong self-efficacy and are empowered to see themselves as a success.
Greater resilience
Improved self-esteem
The change we want to make
Confident community leaders
Strong self-efficacy
How we will achieve this
Who?
Why?
Young People and their Families
Young people who are impacted by the unmitigated effects of ACES and trauma have an increased likelihood of suffering life limiting outcomes and often experience an increased number of barriers to participation.
How?
What?
Capacity to support young people that may present challenging behaviours as a result of trauma in local clubs is often limited. However the reduced capacity can be down to a lack in confidence or capability, not desire or intention.
Schools are often aware of young people that have experienced trauma and how playing sports can help them re-regulate.
Professional Clubs are keen to support schools and grassroots clubs, but sometimes do not know how.
Social Services teams are keen to empower young people by socially prescribing community based activities to build relationships.
Many people that come into contact with star, that have experiences of star supported clubs or are keen to support want to know more about trauma-informed practice and our research.
Grassroots sports clubs
Schools, Professional Clubs
& Social Services
Trauma-interested General Public
We will work with grassroots coaches and volunteers to become trauma-informed.
Develop peer and mentor support networks.
We will provide ongoing support and advice to the clubs through a designated star* manager.
We will support new coaches and adapt support tailored to the socio-cultural needs of the region or club as needed.
We will work with local schools in different regions to identify potential young people that may benefit from the scheme.
We will connect with local social services departments to make them aware of our work, and will actively participate in multi-agency panels.
Continue to use Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, supplemented by qualitative and quantitative methods to demonstrate progress and impact.
Continue to create broad, specific and deep research and publish publicly on the website.
Through the HOPE Library, social media posts and in conversation, we direct people to research and our evidence base.
Use fundraising events (such as dinners) community matches and new launches, to promote our research and evidence.
Who?
Why?
What?
How?
Develop relationships with local schools through our regional managers.
Provide training to grassroots clubs enabling them to be trauma-formed and more confident in working with trauma experienced young people.
Arrange transport and kit to enable young people (and their families) to get to regular training.
Support young people when attending sessions, increasing positive social interactions, teamwork and conflict resolution skills.
Each young person has a Personal Development Plan which enables us to empower the club on how to support the individual young person.
We work with partners to identify eligible young people.
We equip and enable grassroots clubs to confidently work with young people that have experienced ACES and/or mental health events or ACEs.
We work directly with families to reduce barriers.
Mitigate the impact of adversity which decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-harming behaviours and social exclusion.
We provide free-at-the-point -of-access trauma-informed training and advice in how to adapt ‘traditional’ authoritative coaching style to more bespoke and emotionally available.
By developing star* managers in each club, Regional managers will support, guide and connect them to professional clubs, organisations and agencies as needed.
Regional Managers will constantly adapt and adjust support to each club, providing refresher training, or through the central team, bespoke training or connections to meet the needs of the region or local area.
By engaging with local professional clubs to help run sports sessions in schools, we can help connect young people with sports they may never have played, or have a keen interest in.
Regional managers will build relationships with local social workers, and once a young person is enrolled
We will become advocates for young people and their families, helping them to navigate and access services available to them.
Continue to conduct broad surveys of participants, including young people, coaches, volunteers and supporters.
Continue to engage in specific case studies of different participant groups to understand our impact more specifically (and adjust provision accordingly)
Continue to create deep, narrative case studies of key stories of change in individual young people’s lives/
We will continue to share our research and evidence base publicly online, and will actively direct clubs and schools connected to star* to engage with this.
We intend to run free-to-access public online sessions and seminars on our research and evidence base.