Sport 4 Life UK

What Sport 4 Life UK does

Sport 4 Life UK is a Birmingham-based registered charity (Charity Number 1115222, Company Number 05664605), founded in 2006 and now operating across the West Midlands, that uses sport as a vehicle to deliver youth employability and personal development programmes for young people aged 11-29, with a focus on those classified as NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. The integrated service portfolio includes a one-to-one Youth Mentoring programme offering 12 months of tailored support, an Employability Skills programme (CV writing, interview preparation, career guidance, mock interviews), sector-specific Online Qualifications across Construction, Hospitality, Healthcare, Sport, Functional Skills (Maths/English), HR & Finance, and Leadership & Management, plus Sports Leadership Courses, Social Action Projects, Sports Sessions, and a School Support Service (Skills For Life). Employer-facing services are delivered under the Talent Plus workplace mentoring programme. CEO Tom Clarke-Forrest was awarded an MBE in 2026, and the Board is chaired by Mike Gahir with Rob Bayliss serving as Trustee and Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.

The charity's core technology is explicitly service-led rather than software-focused: delivery is conducted through in-person mentoring at the Birmingham headquarters (JQ Modern, Vyse Street) and at outreach locations including schools, Jobcentres, libraries, and community venues, supplemented by an online qualifications platform. No proprietary software, AI capabilities, or distinctive technical platform is referenced in the source materials. Revenue derives primarily from charitable funding sources including trusts and foundations, government programmes (such as the NCS Trust and the Youth Trailblazer programme), public donations processed via Enthuse, and a modest commercial stream from employers and schools via the Game Changers Business Club, Skills For Life packages, and Talent Plus contracts. Distribution is overwhelmingly regional, reached through a referral network anchored in West Midlands Jobcentres, secondary schools (including Oldbury Academy), corporate volunteer partners (Unity Trust Bank, PYVITAL, Multifleet/RunYourFleet), and high-profile ambassadors (basketball player Myles Hesson, radio presenter PJ Ellis).

Operational reach has scaled from a 2006 Birmingham launch to over 30,000 young people supported cumulatively, with 2024/25 figures showing roughly 4,000 young people supported including 524 NEETs of whom more than 300 progressed into employment, education, or training. The charity reports validated school-based outcomes of 59% attainment improvement, 51% attendance improvement, and 78% behaviour improvement, alongside external recognition including the 2018 European Lotteries Sport Award, the 2018 Birmingham Post Not for Profit Award, ISO 9001 certification, Skills Builder Impact Level 4, Disability Confident Employer status, Living Wage Foundation accreditation, and Care Leaver Covenant signatory status. Operating geographies span Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country, and Walsall, with corporate offices at JQ Modern in the Jewellery Quarter and a registered office at the Custard Factory in Digbeth.

Name

Sport 4 Life UK

Legal name

Sport 4 Life UK

Website

https://sport4life.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sport 4 Life UK is a Birmingham-based charity that uses sport to deliver youth employability programmes, mentoring, and qualifications for disadvantaged 11-29 year olds across the West Midlands, funded by charitable grants and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Employability Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sport-Specific Skills Coaching (e.g., soccer, basketball, tennis) (HSADAEAA), Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Youth employability services
• Sports mentoring programmes
• NEET support services
• School career services
• Workplace mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Funding and Donations: Sport 4 Life UK is a registered charity (1115222) that relies on funding from trusts, foundations, government programmes, and public donations. The organisation receives funding to deliver youth employability programmes and has a 'Game Changers Business Club' for corporate supporters. The charity offers workplace mentoring services to employers (Talent Plus programme) as a commercial revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sport 4 Life UK is a registered charity that delivers sport-themed youth employability programmes for young people aged 11-29 across the West Midlands. Core offerings include one-to-one mentoring, employability skills workshops, sector-specific online qualifications, sports leadership courses, mock interview programmes, and community sports sessions. The charity also offers paid Talent Plus workplace mentoring for employers and Skills For Life career services for secondary schools.

Product overview

Sport 4 Life UK operates as a unified youth employment charity offering an integrated service portfolio centered on sport-themed personal development. The core offerings include one-to-one Youth Mentoring Programme (12 months of tailored support), Employability Skills Programme (CV writing, interview preparation, career guidance), and Online Qualifications spanning Construction, Hospitality, Healthcare, Sport, Functional Skills, HR & Finance, and Leadership & Management. Supporting services include Sports Leadership Courses, Functional Skills Courses, Mock Interview Programme, Social Action Projects, Sports Sessions, School Support Services, and Employment Pathways. Together, these services provide a holistic progression pathway from early intervention (ages 11-17 in schools) through to sustained employment (ages 18-29), using sport as a vehicle for engagement and personal development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Mentoring Programme One-to-one mentoring programme providing 12 months of tailored support for young people aged 11-29, including personalised action plans, employability workshops, and community-based volunteering to build confidence, gain qualifications, and find employment.
• Employability Skills Programme Skills programme for 16-29 year olds offering CV writing, interview techniques, career pathway advice, mock interviews, and life skills development to improve employment chances.
• Online Qualifications Fully funded sector-specific qualifications including Construction, Hospitality, Healthcare, Sport, Functional Skills (Maths/English), HR and Finance, and Leadership and Management, delivered online with mentoring support.
• Sports Leadership Courses Nationally recognised Level 1 and Level 2 Sports Leadership qualifications teaching leadership, communication, teamwork, and confidence skills for 16-29 year olds out of work or in education under 16 hours per week.
• Functional Skills Courses Free Ofqual regulated Functional Skills qualifications in English and Maths for 16-29 year olds not in employment, education or training, offering an alternative to GCSEs.
• Sports Sessions Community sports sessions supporting young people to stay active, develop life skills, and meet new people through physical activity.
• Skills For Life School Service Career services for secondary schools designed to increase attainment, attendance, positive behaviour, engagement and aspirations, including mentoring and Sports/Dance Leadership qualifications for school students.
• Talent Plus Workplace Mentoring Workplace mentoring programme offered to employers with tiered pricing packages, supporting young employees' development, retention, and engagement through structured mentoring relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 59% of students improved attainment through school mentoring programmes
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Stoford DevelopmentsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Chief Financial Officer Rob Bayliss from Stoford Developments joined as Trustee and Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee, bringing financial and commercial expertise to the Board.
• Unity Trust BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Sport 4 Life UK partnered with Unity Trust Bank to deliver mock interview sessions, helping young people build confidence and skills needed for real-world interviews. Unity Trust Bank employees volunteer to conduct mock interviews providing realistic employer-based feedback.
• Multifleet Vehicle Management (RunYourFleet)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 January 2026Solihull fleet management company became an official supporter of Sport 4 Life UK, backing the charity's mission to help young people into jobs through mentoring, employability guidance and sports-themed programmes.
• Women in SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Women in Sport to launch the West Midlands Women's Sports Network, a pioneering initiative led by Sport 4 Life UK to break down barriers to women's and girls' participation in sport and physical activity.
• Myles Hesson (Commonwealth Basketball Star)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Birmingham-born basketball star and Commonwealth Games athlete joined as ambassador to support the charity's mission and help inspire young people.
• PYVITALcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Birmingham-based recruitment and consultancy business PYVITAL partnered with Sport 4 Life UK to support young people across the West Midlands into employment. The partnership provides additional pathways and support for programme participants.
• PJ Ellis (Radio Presenter)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025Radio presenter and community champion joined as ambassador to help raise awareness and support for the charity's work with young people.
• Jobcentres (Birmingham)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2025Sport 4 Life UK works in partnership with Jobcentres across Birmingham to reach NEET young people aged 18-21. Strong referral relationships enable young people to access support quickly and seamlessly through the Youth Trailblazer programme and other services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greenhouse Sports: London-based sport-for-development charity delivering coaching and mentoring programmes to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Closely comparable sport, mentoring and employability stack.
• SportInspired: UK charity using sport to improve life chances of disadvantaged children and young people, with strong schools-based delivery model. Comparable youth sport-for-development model.
• Sported: UK sport-for-development charity network supporting community sport organisations that deliver social outcomes. Highly comparable mission and sport-as-vehicle-for-change philosophy.
• Street League: UK charity using sport (primarily football) to help unemployed young people into work, education or training. Closely comparable sport-for-employability model and NEET/youth focus.
• Active Communities Network: Sport-for-development charity working with disadvantaged communities across the UK. Directly comparable sport-themed engagement and youth employability focus.

Broad incumbents

• Catch22: Large UK social business delivering employability, education and youth services including sport-based interventions. Comparable youth employability delivery model at much greater scale.
• OnSide Youth Zones: Network of state-of-the-art youth centres providing sport, arts and employability programmes to young people aged 8-19. Comparable youth sport-and-personal-development offering at network scale.
• The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting 11-30 year olds into education and employment, including sport-themed programmes. Much larger scale but overlapping NEET/youth employability remit.

Regional players

• Foundation for Future London: East London youth-focused charity supporting education and employability pathways for young Londoners. Comparable youth development mission but regionally focused outside the West Midlands.

Emerging players

• Sported Foundation USA: Sport-for-development organisations outside the UK (e.g., Laureus Sport for Good Foundation) operate comparable sport-as-vehicle models internationally. Useful benchmark for funder interest and programme design, though not direct UK competitors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sport4lifeuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCb-txDhXhJeTexiYud4p4CA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Sport4LifeUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sport-4-life-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/sport4lifeuk/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sport 4 Life UK