Understanding the role StreetChance can play in reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour

The StreetChance programme is a partnership between the Cricket Foundation and Barclays Spaces for Sports which runs weekly cricket sessions for young people in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

The sessions are often supplemented by informal education classes that address topics such as gangs, knife crime and drug abuse, delivered by partner charities and individuals with experiences relevant to these issues.

In some areas representatives of the local police force participate in the sessions. To date, more than 38,000 children and young people have participated in StreetChance projects.

This paper discusses the potential benefits of StreetChance in the three outcome areas that are related to StreetChance’s theory of change—namely its impact on community cohesion, crime and anti-social behaviour, and health.

As well as reporting on surveys of participants, it also includes recommendations for programme design.