Getting women into work, one ball game at a time

On a rooftop pitch in north London, a group of women is having an active hour-long football session.

There is camaraderie, encouragement, laughter and some admittedly terrible ball skills - but that matters least of all.

What is important is that these young women are in a safe, non-judgemental, supportive space where they can gain confidence and life skills through sport.

"It's a sisterhood," said Erin, one of the mentoring coaches at Street League, a charity supported by Sports Relief that helps young people who have personal barriers to employment.

Between thundershowers, current and past cohorts of the female-only programme, Goal, are having a good kick around at the Unitas Youth Zone in Barnet.

Goal is a 10-week mentoring programme for girls and women aged between 16 and 29, that teaches them the practical skills they need to gain employment.

That covers CV writing, interview preparation, finding and applying for jobs, workshops, site visits and networking skills - with a lot of sport in between.

"We started off with badminton in the sports hall and honestly, we were all terrible at first," said Aaliyah, who did the programme in January this year.

She had spent a couple of months alone, not leaving the house because of social anxiety and depression.

Street League transformed her life, she said.

"I've come out of my shell. I'm able to talk to people.

"From when I started to when I finished, I could tell a difference in the way I held myself and my self-confidence because I was a very, very nervous person."

Aaliyah now has a job in hospitality, managing a team of people.

Mariam joined the inaugural Goal programme in 2024 after finishing university.

She said she was a "shy and quiet person" but that changed after her experiences with Street League.

"I just finished a training programme in healthcare communications and I actually used a lot of the skills I learned at Street League," she said.

"People were telling me 'how are you so confident asking questions and networking?' And I just referred back to Street League."

Kiara also completed the programme in 2024, working with her mentor Erin.

"[Street League] were able to connect me with a good few people so my network started to grow, so I now have connects in a lot of different avenues," she said.

She is now an assistant sessional coach at a charity helping young people who are not in employment or education, to build transferable skills through football.

The friendships last, between programme attendees - and the coaches.

Kiara said: "I don't think I'd be able to do what I do now if it wasn't for Erin."

Erin added: "There's something about women being in the same room that's incredibly special and powerful as well.

"People say you feel included, you feel seen, you feel heard, you feel empowered.

"I think that's the whole point of our female-only programmes is to ensure that no matter where you go or what you do, you've got that community behind you supporting you."

Find more about where your Sport Relief donations go, and England footballer, Jill Scott's Coming Home Challenge here.

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