It is time to bring Flag Football to a wider pool of young people in our community but we need your help! There are many socially excluded young people in Thanet, and the aim is to deliver sessions that are free to access - with a particular focus on those impacted by COVID-19. We want to be able to subsidise kits and share the benefits of this great sport. This sport is the ideal place for young people on the margins of society to find a place that values and includes them. Working with mixed gender groups is particularly powerful, but kids also have a wide range of fitness and intellectual abilities. Thanet Mustangs wants to build Flag Football for those children and young people that aren't traditionally included, are not deemed sporty, suffer with their mental health and/ or have trauma or disability to contend with. 'Last Chance U' inspired Coach Phil to get this group up and running, and this programme shows just how valuable this sport can be in turning young lives around.

What we'll deliver:

• Flag Football equipment
• Players shirts
• 3 free training sessions per week
• Free membership and registration of B.A.F.A for the players
• Mouthguards and water bottles for players on sign-up

Why it's a great idea:

1. Improved confidence (100% of existing participants state this to be true) 2. Improved self-esteem (63% of existing participants have found this to be true) 3. Improved fitness! 4. Improved social skills (63% of existing participants have found this to be true) 5. Improved team working (100% of existing participants state this to be true) 6. Reduction in social isolation (63% of existing participants have found this to be true) Having trained in Thanet for 3 yrs for a very small group of 7-14-year-old mixed groups - we have a working model to illustrate all the benefits - it is inclusive, great for developing social and leadership skills as well as supporting good mental wellbeing.

Steps to get it done:

• Purchase equipment
• Complete BAFA registration
• Secure support from Open Spaces
• Promote the Club during Youth Sport Week in schools
• Continue weekly Home Ed session
• Implement Sessions 2 & 3

Flag football is the pre-contact sport for American Football, hence the age range of the players. It allows so many different abilities to be included, unlike many other team sports. The focus in the sport is on team strategy, team plays, and team support. In this game, there truly is no 'I' in team. For three years Coach Phil has run a weekly session for kids from the home education community, having trained with East Kent Mavericks, and the feedback from parents is great. Working together on team 'plays' means they have to collaborate in order to succeed and Coach leads them to see that everyone's contribution to the play is equally valuable.