Second Chance keeps on growing

When James Mapstone put together a team to represent Ashfield Young Offenders Institute at the 2007 Your Game event at Bristol, his aims were fairly modest.

"The idea was to dangle some carrots in front of the lads for good behaviour and develop them as footballers with some proper fixtures," he said.

But off the pitch there was a chance for both James and the players to make some useful contacts.

"We want to spread sport to every prison and young offenders institute in the country"

"It also allowed us to meet with other local projects and we were able to bring some at-risk youngsters into Ashfield and do some preventative work with them as well."

Since then a £282,071 grant from Your Game partner the Football Foundation has allowed Ashfield to continue delivering and expanding a sports programme that has delivered 1000 qualifications to young people, while James spreads his 2nd Chance Project around the country.

Now James is helping Young Offenders Institute at Portland ahead of a September launch of their own sports programme, focussed on reducing re-offending.

There are another three or four institutions also in his sights and the 2nd Chance Project has built links throughout the South West and in London with London Active Communities.

Their success has even captured imaginations internationally with James meeting Jamaica's sports minister and the foundation set up by former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh to talk about using cricket to improve young peoples' lives on the island.

In the UK, where former Arsenal and England star Ian Wright is championing the cause, James is determined the expansion will continue.

"We want to spread the project to every prison and young offenders institute in the country. Just last week we had another 14 young people passing a level one football coaching course. There are so many people excited about the project."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
2nd Chance Project
Football Foundation
HMYOI Ashfield
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