Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to content

Everyone deserves to experience the benefits of sport and physical activity. Unfortunately, significant inequalities exist, meaning that children and young people (CYP) from lower-income or underserved communities are less likely to play sport or be physically active (Sport England Active Lives 24-25).

NextGen Circle, based in Bristol, support CYP who face unequal access to activity opportunities, many of whom are from ethnically diverse communities. 

We spoke with them to learn more about their work and how they’ve empowered young people through sport.

Who’s NextGen Circle?

Founded in 2019 by a group of friends, NextGen Circle began as a local football club. Like many grassroots organisations, the founders were united by a shared passion for supporting their local community and creating opportunities for CYP.

Run by volunteers, NextGen Circle has continued to grow and now engages over 200 young people per week. Set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2021, they provide a safe, supportive environment for young people to build positive values, have social interaction and develop new skills and self-confidence through sport.

A smiling girl throws a football during a training session at night.

What opportunities do NextGen Circle offer?

NextGen Circle’s varied offer is shaped by the founders’ own lived experiences, delivering the opportunities they wished they’d had growing up. 

As a result, their offer responds to and meets the needs of local CYP, through:

  • Phoenix NextGen Sports Club

    • Four adult, men’s football teams competing in local leagues across Bristol. These teams provide local people with opportunities to get active in an environment shaped by their values of respect, pride and growth.
    • Following the success of their football teams and calls from their community, Phoenix NextGen Sports Club added basketball to their offer and now have a basketball team competing in a local league.
     Hide

  • Free weekly football and basketball sessions

    • All-ability sessions where local CYP can turn up and play for free, bringing the community together and removing the financial barriers of taking part.
    • Pan-disability basketball sessions, supported by Access Sport, engaging disabled CYP and those with special educational needs to be active, build confidence and socialise. To ensure their coaches have the skills and knowledge needed to deliver these sessions they’ve all completed disability awareness training.
     Hide

  • A community football league

    • Alongside their all ability football sessions, NextGen Circle run a social 8-a-side football league, giving CYP the chance to take part in regular, friendly competition.
    • As part of this league, participants are encouraged to engage with the wider support offer, including life skills workshops on topics such as money management. These support sessions are led by trusted people from the local community who participants can relate to.
     Hide

  • Coach Up

    • A coaching programme that combines online training with practical experience, giving 16 to 25 year olds the chance to develop their leadership and coaching skills.
    • NextGen Circle’s workforce mentor and support the young coaches throughout the programme, providing constructive feedback, advice and guidance.
    • Following completion of the course, the young coaches are equipped with the confidence and skills needed to progress onto formal coaching qualifications.
       
     Hide

  • NextGen Hub

    • After recognising a need for safer social activities for CYP, the NextGen Hub was created. Through the Hub, NextGen Circle provide a safe, supportive space where young people feel empowered to socialise, build friendships and learn new skills.
    • In addition to the activities offered, the Hub provides support across a range of areas, including wellbeing and access to pop-up health clinics. They collaborate with local organisations and partners to deliver this support.
     Hide

How does NextGen Circle remain financially sustainable?

Providing opportunities for free or at low cost comes with its challenges. To mitigate against these, NextGen Circle have taken a proactive approach to ensure they remain financially sustainable while continuing to meet the needs of their local community:

Structure

They’ve invested time to ensure the appropriate governance and legal structures are in place. This has enabled NextGen Circle to apply for a wider range of funding opportunities that they previously wouldn’t have been able to access.

Fundraising

To help ensure they’ve got the funding needed to continue operating, NextGen Circle developed a fundraising strategy. This has helped to identify a range of different income streams that they weren’t previously utilising, such as their community football league.

Partnerships

NextGen Circle work with other local organisations to deliver activities to ensure they can offer a range of opportunities. They’ve developed close relationships with funders, so they see the difference NextGen Circle makes and continually support them. 

A female wheelchair basketball player advances with the ball on an indoor court.

What’s next for NextGen Circle?

  • Expanding their Coach Up programme to support more people, and exploring a partnership with their County Football Association, to offer accredited qualifications.
  • Creating an offer that supports participants to access wider employment opportunities.
  • Establishing a new programme called Planting Seeds, which looks to deliver further life skills workshops to their participants.

Top tips

Don’t let the uncertainty of participation numbers prevent you from running sessions. Focus on developing your offer and ensuring it responds to local needs; people will come.
Representation is key. Having someone who reflects the community you want to engage with can make a significant difference, as they’re often able to connect and relate with audiences in ways others can’t.
Provide opportunities for young people to connect with positive role models who can inspire them.