What United Through Sports does

United Through Sport is a registered UK charity (Charity Number 1102107) founded in 2004 and headquartered in Bristol, delivering sport-for-development programmes to disadvantaged youth aged 5-35 in five countries. Its flagship hub sits in Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha), South Africa, with satellite programmes in Ghana (Teshie/Accra since 2010), Saint Lucia (since 2011), Argentina (since 2016), and Mauritius (since 2017). The organisation operates a codified 'Pathway to Success' model combining weekly sports coaching and physical-activity sessions with literacy support, critical-issues education (sexual health, gender, substance abuse), life-skills development, scholarships, vocational training and employment-readiness pathways, producing reported outcomes of 97% improvement in mental health, 89% employment placement, and a 100% matric pass rate for School of Excellence graduates in 2025.

Programmes are delivered directly in partner schools, community hubs and youth centres by a mixed workforce of local coaches, country-level Programme Directors, and international volunteers recruited through UK university and college partnerships (Bridgwater College, HRUC, Wyke College, De Montfort University, City of London Freemen's School). Supporting infrastructure includes the Astra Primary School literacy centre (serving 456 children weekly), the 1,200m² 4G astro-turf at Astra Primary School (the first of its kind in the area), and the Eco-Turf community project in partnership with Common Goal, the Johan Cruyff Foundation and Orange Water Works.

The organisation is funded through charitable donations, foundation grants (e.g., Province of Lower Saxony via terre des hommes, Johan Cruyff Foundation, Shout Foundation), corporate and school partnerships, and revenue from international volunteer placement programmes (travel.unitedthroughsport.org). It is governed by a Director (Nick Mould) with country-level General Managers and Programme Directors in South Africa, Mauritius, Ghana and St Lucia, and a documented initiative to launch a United Through Sport USA branch in 2025-2026.

Name

United Through Sports

Legal name

United Through Sport

Website

https://unitedthroughsport.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Through Sport is a UK-registered charity founded in 2004 that delivers sport-for-development programmes to disadvantaged youth aged 5-35, with a flagship hub in Nelson Mandela Bay (South Africa) and satellite programmes in Ghana, Saint Lucia, Argentina and Mauritius.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sport for Development / Youth Development Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Sport for development
• Community sports programs
• Youth empowerment services
• Charitable education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: United Through Sport generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and grant-making organizations. The organization runs fundraising events including the Miles for Smiles initiative, marathon runs, and international volunteer fundraising campaigns. Donations support sports equipment, educational programs, facility development, and operational costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

United Through Sport is a sport-for-development charity that delivers a holistic Pathway to Success model for disadvantaged youth aged 5–35, combining weekly sports coaching, literacy and academic support, health and life-skills education, and employment readiness programs across its flagship South African program and satellite programs in Ghana, Mauritius, Saint Lucia, and Argentina. Programs are funded by donations, grants, fundraising events, and supported by international volunteer placements.

Product overview

United Through Sport is a sport-for-development charity organization (founded in 2004) that offers youth development programs focused on using sport as a tool for social change. Their core offering is a holistic 'Pathway to Success' model targeting disadvantaged youth aged 5-35, combining sports coaching with education support, health awareness, and employment pathways. The organization's flagship programme operates in South Africa (Nelson Mandela Bay), with satellite programs in Ghana, Mauritius, Saint Lucia, and Argentina. Key program areas include mass participation sports initiatives, academic support (literacy centres, homework clubs), the School of Excellence scholarship program, learn-to-swim programs, and youth employment readiness through the Youth Rising Programme. The organization also facilitates international volunteer placements and partnerships with educational institutions for cultural exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pathway to Success Programme Holistic sport-for-development model that supports disadvantaged youth aged 5–35 from early childhood through to young adulthood and first employment, combining sports coaching, life-skills education, health awareness, literacy support, and employment pathways.
• School of Excellence Programme Scholarship and academic support programme for senior students preparing for matriculation, providing pathways to top schools and tertiary education, with documented 100% matric pass rate in 2025.
• Astra Literacy Centre Literacy centre providing weekly foundation phase reading support to 456 children at Astra Primary School in Nelson Mandela Bay, employing previously unemployed youth as literacy facilitators.
• After School Project and Homework Club After-school project and homework club supporting Grade 7 students at Isaac Booi Primary School with exam preparation and academic support.
• Fundamental Movement Programme (Ghana) School-based Fundamental Movement Programme launched in Ghana in April 2026 to address the gap in structured physical activity within primary schools.
• International Volunteer Placements International volunteer placements for individuals from the UK, Europe, and internationally, offering coaching, sports management, physiotherapy, and education support roles across programme countries.
• Eco-Turf Initiative Multi-layered community project combining sport, sustainability, education, and local opportunity, including the 1200m² 4G mini astro-turf at Astra Primary School in Nelson Mandela Bay townships (the first facility of its kind in the area).
• National Development Squads (Saint Lucia) Elite development programme in Saint Lucia creating youth national teams in core sports (football, cricket, netball, rugby), providing training camps with senior national squads and career guidance alongside life-skills development.
• Mauritius Mass Participation Programme Mass participation youth programme in Mauritius delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, including coaching sessions at beach arena facilities, swimming programmes, and sports development initiatives.
• Donation and Fundraising Programme Donation and fundraising programme supporting sports equipment, educational programmes, facility development, and operational costs, delivered through the website, Miles for Smiles events, and volunteer-led campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of participants show improvements in mental health
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Rising Stars of Africa AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rising Stars of Africa academy to provide full scholarships for promising young athletes from the mass participation programme. The academy provides pathways to educational scholarships within the USA high school and college system, and professional sports industry careers. Example: Dennis Konney began his international career with Porto FC in Portugal.
• Liverpool FC Academy (Mauritius)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Liverpool FC Academy located at the prestigious Cote D'Or facility in Mauritius. United Through Sport Mauritius provides coaching expertise and supports technical skill drills within this elite training system, serving as inspiration and role models for athletes.
• Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation (Mauritius)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnership for driving mass youth participation in sport and physical activity. Collaboration includes coaching sessions at beach arena facilities, swimming programmes, and sports development initiatives across the island with youth sports officers and local coaches.
• Common Goal / Johan Cruyff Foundation / Orange Water WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Common Goal's Move for the Planet initiative to develop the Eco-Turf initiative that transforms communities in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. Multi-layered community project combining sport, sustainability, education, and local opportunity.
• MasinyusanecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding community development organization partnership in Nelson Mandela Bay. Collaboration on literacy centres at Astra Primary School and Isaac Booi Primary School, providing reading support and employing previously unemployed youth as literacy facilitators.
• Aware.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for hosting sports tournaments and delivering 'No Underage Drinking' awareness sessions. United Through Sport hosts quarterly Aware.org Tournaments bringing together children from multiple schools for competition and alcohol awareness education.
• Bridgwater College (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual international placement programme bringing students and apprentices from UK colleges to South Africa for sports coaching and community development experience. Third year of partnership with HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges).
• HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK college partnership for international placements. Students complete sports and exercise science Turing Scheme placements in Gqeberha, South Africa, empowering young learners through sport.
• National Sports Federations (St Lucia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with national sports federations to create youth national teams in core sports (football, cricket, netball, rugby). United Through Sport helps develop elite pathways and provides training camps with senior national squads.
• Trevor DanielsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with international sports figure for football development programmes in Saint Lucia, including Easter football activities and coaching.
• Rising Stars of Africa AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner academy in Ghana providing football and basketball coaching. Volunteers collaborate with the academy to understand pathways available to Ghana's emerging footballers.
• Le Bocage (Mauritius)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership for sports development including female football team, boys' football, and netball programmes. Students have organized tournaments and demonstrated significant progress in sports and leadership.
• Loreto College Quatre Bornes (LCQB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to introduce netball to local schools in Mauritius. United Through Sport provides coaching expertise and equipment to establish the sport in the school.
• Sir Arthur Lewis Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation for National Development Squads in Castries, St Lucia. Provides high-level sports training alongside career guidance, life-skills development, and employability support.
• Uptown Girls CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for at-risk girls through sport-based sessions that build resilience, self-worth, and community support at this centre in St Lucia.
• Wyke College (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK college whose 11 students took to the pitch to face a local Saint Lucian team in an under 18s female friendly football match.
• Abingdon & Whitney College (Oxford)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOxford college whose 8 students participated in international construction placement in Saint Lucia for two weeks.
• De Montfort UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university cricket team that toured St Lucia and spent time within United Through Sport projects, displaying the development model from mass participation to competition level.
• City of London Freemen's SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK school partnership for sports day event at Pareyra Park, Argentina. Over 50 young coaches delivered skill drills and strategic training sessions.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• streetfootballnetwork (formerly streetfootballworld): Global network of 100+ sport-for-development organisations across 80+ countries. Operates a similar hub-and-satellite model with shared methodology and donor channels as UTS.
• Right to Play: Global sport-for-development NGO operating in dozens of countries to protect, educate, and empower children through sport. Most direct comparability: international NGO, youth-focused, sport-and-life-skills integrated delivery, similar donor base.
• Soccer Without Borders: US-based NGO using soccer for youth development with refugee and migrant populations; closely matches UTS's sport-plus-education-plus-pathways programme architecture.
• Moving the Goalposts: Kenya-based NGO using sport (primarily football) for girls' empowerment and gender equality — directly comparable in sport-for-girls-development methodology and African community-based delivery.
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: International foundation that uses sport to address social issues affecting youth, funding and convening sport-for-development programmes globally. Direct peer in mission, donor overlap, and outcome measurement orientation.
• Common Goal: Collective of football professionals and organisations driving sport-for-development worldwide. Already a UTS partner; highly comparable as a sport-for-development convener and fundraising mechanism.
• Kick4Life: Lesotho-based charity using football for HIV prevention, education, and youth employment — similar African focus, sport-plus-health-and-employment outcomes, and small-team delivery model.
• Coaches Across Continents: Sport-for-development social enterprise that partners with local organisations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas — comparable in coach-led community delivery and curriculum-based methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Johan Cruyff Foundation: Dutch foundation funding sport-for-development projects worldwide, including sport and disability programmes. Already a UTS partner; a broader funder/incumbent in the same space rather than a direct programme operator.

Regional players

• Youth Sport Trust: UK charity focused on improving young people's lives through PE and sport in schools. Comparable in mission and youth sport focus, but UK-centric rather than internationally deployed like UTS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/utscharity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/unitedthroughsport
• Facebookfacebook.com/utscharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-through-sport
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedthroughsport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about United Through Sports