All Shades of Life CIC

All shades of life CIC started through a journal I used to write in for reflection purposes. It was during a period in my personal life where nothing seemed to be advancing, career wise, especially living as a man of a mixed heritage, I never felt accepted in society.  

Growing up, football provided me with a safe environment where I could further enhance my passion and skills. The opportunity was there to change mine and my family’s life forever. I had done extremely well; I came so very close, but unfortunately I didn’t make it. Dealing with the rejection was hard and heartbreaking, truth be told I didn’t really deal with it until many years later. I wanted to become a professional so badly. I devalued all of my achievements in football and started to hate the game. 

I started coaching and regained my confidence, making me reevaluate and feel proud of my achievements, knowledge and experience as a player. Through coaching, my journey as a player now holds more personal value and happiness than I could have ever imagined. Looking back, football taught me more than just how to kick a ball. I learnt how to attribute to a team, develop as an individual, how to communicate with others. I learnt how to utilize these skills in my everyday and working life.  

Telling the story was easy, it happened. I was born to a white British/Irish mother and my father was from Grenada in the Caribbean. Growing up as a kid, I never went without and had a stable, strong and consistent network of support growing up.

My mum had started her family in 1973, during a period in Britain where interracial relationships were shunned upon in society. Times were hard and all the odds were stacked against her. Somehow, she was given the will, strength and grace to raise a family of eight plus play an influential role in in her four siblings upbringing.

Her life spanned sixty-three years, reaching out to many different communities finding employment and childcare for struggling individuals, both old and young.

All of this was achieved by her never receiving any help and always putting others before herself. She brought her children up to be humble, strong and proud individuals who were not allowed to ever to quit. No matter how hard things were there was always a way to survive, we could never doubt her as she led by example. Her achievements were as a single mum, against all expectations she managed to achieve so much with such little recognition. 

I played football growing up, and it is safe to say that I was obsessed. I used football to mask how insecure I felt about being so different and never really feeling accepted. I was rejected on my first few attempts trialing for teams, this done me no favor’s with trying to accept my identity and finally feel accepted by other. I was very down when I used to go to primary school.

I remember one day, a teacher who had taught all my siblings and was renowned for not only being the most favorite teacher but the best in the school approached me. She asked what was wrong, and I explained how I was feeling, and for the first time I felt comfortable and safe confiding in someone from outside of my family network. She assured me that I’d not only be ok, but she personally was taking me on in her class the next academic year. She opened her cupboard and showed me a picture of Ian wright. She said that Ian was a local lad who played for Crystal Palace, one of the best. “I love the eagles, I’ve seen you play, and YOU’RE better than him”, she said. I burst into tears to which she gave me a hug that warmed my soul.

Football, from this point took over my life, I excelled at a great rate. Without being biased, I’d think it would be fair to say that I had a better chance than most of going to the top. Without telling an all to familiar story in Britain I never made it, I was rejected at the age of fifteen. I will not name the club as I’m sure their intentions were not what happened. In my opinion, they destroyed my world in a thirty second phone call. I clammed back up like the little boy who was saved by the teacher in primary school.

This sent an aspiring, talented, confident and intelligent young boy, spiraling out of control. Everyone from my family were amazing and couldn’t have done any more than they did. But no one from the community was there this time, no intervention. Could this of made a difference? Who knows? This had a domino effect in my life and if I was to be totally honest it took a long time to find value in myself again.

Eventually, the intervention I needed came after much support from all my family. My oldest brother started putting me through mixed martial arts fitness classes. I not going to attempt to lie and say it was easy, he broke me down to my bare bones. The man he built back from the ashes of the old me is the man you see today. I love all my family the same but big bro you saved my life and I’ll always be eternally great full.

From this I built my own family and started my own legacy, having four boys It had me thinking. Did I experience all of this for nothing? Watching my boys growing up I’ve noticed communities disappearing. Where is everyone?

My mum passing away was a catalyst and a definite jump start for All Shades of Life CIC. Her vessel was laid to rest, but her spirit tends to shine through in her legacy. Parents are molding beautiful souls every day, teachers are impacting our kids’ lives every day, who is doing the bits between anymore? The organizations that are I salute you. 

Football Program

 football Sessions to young people live in Kent 

Young people’s mental well-being is now a national crisis. Even before the advent of Covid-19, there was a gulf between the availability of Child and Adults Mental Health Services and the number of young people needing support. This issue has been exacerbated by the pandemic – significantly increasing the volume of young people needing help with mental health issues, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Young people have experienced abuse, bereavement, anxiety about catching the virus or friends and family catching it, isolation and loneliness, worry about falling behind with their education or missing crucial exams, worry about returning to school and other aspects of normal life, and narrowing social networks.

The stepping on clouds project will help increase the knowledge, skills and confidence, build back a safer place for young youth's 7-18 year old's. Struggling with lockdown and transition back into the community. Its well established that early intervention from year 5 of primary school reduces behavior and mind set of the young youths. Truanting from year 6 primary to year 7 young people's anxiety.

Supporting vulnerable young people and adults though fitness struggling with mental health - wellbeing -loneliness.

To use sport as a tool to engage young people and channel their energy into building and enhancing their life skills. Learning new football skills, building self confidence, playing great fun football matches, and being a community again, safe place for the children.

How it Works

Getting Active enables young people, whatever their background, motivations or natural ability, to come together and play sport. Our aim is for each young people to develop a life-long love of sport, in a safe and connected community.

Since taking part in the programme:  95% of young people said they will continue to play sport or be active regularly. Over 60% of young people  and adults saw improvements to their social and emotional capabilities such as social competence, self-confidence and emotional control, young people scored our sports programme an average of 9 out 10.

Ivan Daniel- Level 2 DBS

Kean Wood - Level 1 DBS

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Fitness and Wellbeing Classes 

Children learn a great deal from their parents and therefore it is important that parents present active role models and opportunities for their children. In this context it becomes essential that physical exercise is built into the structure of the typical day. 

Physical health - Good physical health is linked to fitness – being able to perform effectively the physical tasks involved in life as well as sport. Being physically healthy includes:

• enjoying being physically active
• having good balance, coordination and agility in everyday tasks as well as sport
• having the strength, stamina and suppleness required for daily life, work and play
• having fewer illnesses, diseases and injuries

Emotional health - Emotional – or mental – health is linked to personal wellbeing – feeling positive about yourself. Being emotionally healthy includes:

• having self-esteem and self-respect
• being able to recognise and express feelings
• being able to manage emotions to suit the situation
• recognising and managing the factors that affect emotions
• feeling positive about life (which includes feeling useful and being optimistic about the future)
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Social health - Social health also contributes to wellbeing – feeling positive about interactions with other people and the wider world. Being socially healthy includes:

• being able to interact with a range of people and having a sense of belonging
• having respect, empathy and tolerance for other people
• being able to manage emotions to suit the situation
• recognising and managing the effects of actions on others
• being aware of rights and responsibilities

Emotional health benefits include:

1. Self-esteem and confidence – completion or success in an activity can give a sense of satisfaction. Self-esteem is increased by doing well or sticking to an exercise or training routine.
2. Stress management – exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. Dynamic exercise or more intense physical activity can relieve tension and stress.
3. Image – when people exercise they may feel happier due to a release of endorphins into the body, and see the long term health benefits on their appearance.

             Social health benefits include:

1. Friendship – friendships increase as participants make friends with other members of the club, group or class.
2. Belonging to a group – feeling of belonging gained from a common experience or shared activity.
3. Loneliness – less loneliness and isolation experienced and participation can lead to other interests and friendships beyond the activity.