Soul About us

About Us

SOUL’s objective is to promote an alternative cultural and productive experience for the local youth allowing them to reach their full potential as responsible members of the community. This will be achieved by providing a mechanism for extra curricular activities, providing them with exposure and experiences. SOUL will take a two-pronged approach introducing gradually, more sophisticated and advanced strategies to promote constructive and safe leisure activities, education and career projects.
Through SOUL’s leisure activities the organisation seeks to introduce concepts of teamwork, commitment, healthy living, and respect for peers. The organisation is proposing to establish a whole spectrum of leisure initiatives incorporating activities which the youth can partake, developing transferable skills that will help them throughout the course of their life. SOUL’s education and career projects seek to nurture and develop the skills which the youth will require in their education and working lives. The organisation will develop strong links with the local schools and other educational institutions and also develop a network of professional partners. Through these relationships SOUL will provide insightful and useful experiences to the youth.

What We Have Done

Football teams competing nationally and internationally We have developed football teams who are competing in local leagues, for 7 different groups across the borough. We have also formed 2 football teams in the Bromley by Bow area. The teams are managed and coached on a weekly basis by local volunteers
and helpers. The current U16s team took part in the Watford International youth tournament. Playing the Arsenal FC Academy teams Every year SOUL U10s and U13s are given the chance to compete against the Arsenal junior teams at the Arsenal Academy ground. Our current U14s team were victors against their Arsenal counterparts in front of the Arsenal legends Steve Bould and
Liam Brady.
Holiday activity programmes During the school holiday programmes SOUL held activities to keep the youth active and in a fun environment, previously we
have visited theme parks and educational places. First Aid and Healthy Eating programmes Our partnership with City University School of Nursing and idwifery has seen us deliver First Aid and Healthy Eating workshops. Spitalfields Housing association Youth Forum The group is currently working to develop the pitalfields Youth

History

Social Organisation for Unity and Leisure (SOUL) came into existence to cater for the needs of the local youth in Brick Lane and the Greater Tower Hamlets area. The organisation was initially set up by a group of young adults who were familiar with the many hurdles and adverse influences faced by the youth of this area.This community is recognised as being amongst the most socially disadvantaged, with some of the highest recorded incidences of drug abuse, anti social behaviour and gang warfare.
Many youth in this area see a future for themselves in an illusionary ‘Fast’ Culture which involves the ideas of fast money, fast cars and fast food. This has seen the community turn out to be an arena for drugs, petty crime, and gang culture. For most buying and selling illegal substances has become a popular ‘occupation’ often financed through other crimes.

A more acceptable past time of the youth and adults of this community is playing football. This sport is pursued and followed almost religiously by a high proportion of this community. Despite this, very few individuals from the community have entered the professional football arena. Recognising this fact SOUL launched its football project in the borough… The organisation has built relationships with professional clubs such as Arsenal, and our teams have played the Arsenal Academy squad. A noted achievement of our youngsters was when they beat the Arsenal Academy at the Academy’s home turf! It is our mission to increase this percentage dramatically over the next few years as we progress further.

Future Plans

World Youth Football Tournament
The U16s team will be competing at the Gothia Amateur International football tournament taking place in Gothenburg, Sweden 2007.

Butlins International Football Tournament
The U14s team will compete at the Butlins International football tournament in May 2007.

Residential outing
SOUL is organising a weekend residential trip, consisting of various activities.

Social and Leisure activities
The organisation is developing a plan to expand its current sports program to include
a more varied range of leisure activities. We are determined to achieve charter standard status by the end of this year.

Management Development
The Executive Committee will look to strengthen the skills needed to help the organisation succeed. Training will include management skills, presentation skills, child protection, football coaching and other relevant courses.

Youth Club
We endeavour to acquire premises to carry out activities in the near future.

Committee updateing