Breaking Boundaries is a three-year programme (2018 –2021, now extended to March 2022) funded by Spirit of 2012, supported by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and The Institute of Community Cohesion (Icoco).
It aims to socially connect young people, their families and communities together through regular cricket engagement, fostering mutual respect and friendships by playing, spectating and volunteering. It is being delivered in 5 cities; Bradford, Birmingham, London (Barking and Dagenham), Manchester and Slough.
The project is led by the Youth Sport Trust in partnership with Sporting Equals and a consortium of organisations including: Street Games, Citizens UK, Cricket Trusts and Foundations, Local Authorities and Community Organisations.
The project aims to use cricket as a tool to:
• Improve social connectedness and attitudes to diversity
• Increase empowerment and community voice
• Increase community participation and sense of belonging
• Improve partnership working
• Improve wellbeing
• Improve knowledge and skills to support community cohesion
Project Delivery:
The Breaking Boundaries Project aims to engage participants that either Live, Work, Learn or Worship in Abbey and Mayesbrook
2020 Update:
Due to the face to face nature of the project being impacted by the pandemic, a decision was made in spring 2020 to continue engagement with our local partner projects online and to keep them connected to each other.
Key highlights included our community ambassador Aidan Elmore (who also volunteers regularly with Essex Cricket in the Community) sharing regular keep active at home challenges, along with Coaches Kanan and Brian who contributed ideas and stories from their time at home during this challenging time.
All of this linked closely to the social integration aims of Breaking Boundaries and combined with our connecting to the Barking and Dagenham Council Cohesion team, allowed for us to look closely at how we can contribute to the borough manifesto goals, but also support conversations around future planning of grassroots community group and resident needs on how physical activity can continue to keep people positive now and beyond COVID 19.
This also included regular features on key stories from local organisation on the Sporting Equals blog page online here: Sporting Equals | News and Blog
2021 plans include restarting our social action plan programme to restart when safe to do so, and to continue to highlight positive stories of how community groups in the borough are supporting residents to learn more about the place they call home via the power of sport!
To keep connected to the programme follow on twitter: https://twitter.com/bboundariesuk or Instagram:
Breaking Boundaries (@bboundariesuk)
• Instagram photos and videos
