The coach

Perry Sophocleous

When Perry first got involved with StreetChance, his main focus was doing what he could to earn money, and without any structure to his life he felt he was stuck in a rut of doing odd jobs that paid well but had little in the way of long-term prospects.

“After college I was very unsure whether I wanted to go university or what job or career I wanted. This led me to get jobs for the sake of earning money in the short-term and didn’t lead anywhere. I started mixing with unsavoury people and developing the same mindset that they had.”

When StreetChance Development Coach Adam Hall offered him a chance to do some work experience in February 2009, Perry discovered previously untapped skills:

“I started volunteering with Adam on various StreetChance projects. It was here that I discovered I had a talent for relating to young people and decided to take this further.”

Off the back of some work experience, Perry found something that he both enjoyed and had a natural aptitude for. Training opportunities through StreetChance have led to him becoming a paid skilled worker doing a job he enjoys:

“In July 2009 I started the StreetChance Coaching Apprenticeship which took me a year to complete, and from October 2010 I started working as a full-time Development Coach for Cricket for Change with coaching qualifications to my name.”

Perry has gone from strength to strength as a Development Coach, thriving on added responsibility and working as the lead coach on some of the toughest StreetChance projects.

His ability to walk into a room of teenagers and instantly operate on their level and develop strong bonds was something that was not uncovered through his school education but has made him a valuable member of the team delivering StreetChance across London. His coaching qualifications, undertaken through the coaching apprenticeship, have put him on a solid career path that he is hugely passionate about, and one where is sure to continue to thrive and inspire others to follow his lead.

“Not long ago I was working in jobs that had no future and were just for short-term financial gain. It was unsatisfying and was not personally rewarding in any other way. Working with Cricket for Change on StreetChance has changed my view on how life should be lived. I am now part of a charity and a programme that transforms young people’s lives, something I hold very dear to my heart, and it has definitely helped me achieve a stable life both financially and spiritually.”