What is KickOff@3?
A collaborative initiative set up by passionate men who wish to engage young people, using sport, music and other imaginative ideas to spread awareness. (See our highlights from our previous tournaments here.)
KickOff@3 was created by Michael Wallace and Ashley Levien. Michael Wallace is a serving Police Officer who works in Community and Youth Engagement and is passionate about supporting youth and community initiatives outside work too. Currently a School Governor for London Colney Primary School, he understands how important connection and relationships are with vulnerable young people, sports can provide stability they might not get elsewhere.
When KickOff@3 was founded, Ashley Levien was running Suberbos Community, a social inclusion organisation. Ashley has since taken a new career path, working as a bus driver in his day job, but still volunteers in the community mentoring youths and contributing to charity work. Ashley has dedicated his professional career, and much of his time outside to support young people in getting involved in activities which they see the benefit of for the rest of their lives.
In 2017 Michael and Ashley devised a plan to establish firm, long lasting relationships between young people and their local police force as a youth diversion strategy and named it KickOff@3.
The project engages with young people through the medium of sports and music and raises awareness and funds for a range of charities that promote health and well-being in young people.
SpinOff@3 event opens to public
Given the changes to all aspects of life, the 2020 planned KickOff@3 Tournaments have been postponed until it is safe to hold them. At KickOff@3 we understand that for many families and individuals across the country this is a very difficult time. There are financial, health and social difficulties being faced by many. Not only is this time a challenge for families and individuals, but it is also presenting increasing challenges for charities. As the majority of fundraising halted overnight, charities are working incredibly hard to come up with new ways of generating income. Embedded within the KickOff@3 ethos are three fundamental principles: supporting charities, promoting health and wellbeing and providing opportunities for our young people.
KickOff@3 are just as committed to fulfilling our aims as we were pre-lockdown and will be post-lockdown. Working together with our team we have come up with a new lockdown project called SpinOff@3 and we implore all forces that were scheduled to run KickOff@3 Tournaments to now look at running this new project during lockdown.
SpinOff@3 is a cycling challenge for anyone, that can be done whilst socially distancing, with the chance for contestants to win goodies, all whilst raising money for charity. Although it is designed for cycles, anything with wheels can be used (except cars) such as scooters, skateboards and roller skates. We are encouraging all forces who would be taking part if KickOff@3 2020 was running as usual to consider running their own SpinOff@3 project.
Michael and Ashley will be running a local SpinOff@3 Herts and involved in the oversight of SpinOff@3 Bromley. Check out the promo video below the Herts event below.
How To Get Involved with Kick Off at 3
Volunteer
Without volunteers, the Kick off at 3 project simply wouldn't exist. We rely on the good will, spirit, time effort and energy of all our volunteers.
Could you referee a match?
Could you help organise a team?
Do you have other useful skills to help the organisation?
Play Football
Without players there is no kick off at 3 championship!
Are you young?
Do you wish you were young but want to play anyway?
Charity
Do you know a charity which could benefit from more funds being raised locally?
Contact Michael or Ashley to have an informal chat about how you could get involved with KickOff@3.
Fill in our contact form.
Aged 16-22? Hoping to develop organisational, management, mentoring, coaching and engagement skills to complement your degree or career progression? Love football and other sports? This could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
Kickoff@3 are excited to announce that we are looking for Youth Ambassadors to volunteer across the UK pioneering our new mentoring scheme for the 2020 season.
Please send a brief email to 'connect@kickoffat3.co.uk' expressing the reasons for your interest, relevant experience,
what you hope to teach others and learn about yourself.
If selected to progress to the interview stage we will ask you to complete a form tailored to showcase your relevant skills, attitudes and experience.
Good luck!
Who wants to be a Referee?
Our Ambassador, newly retired Premier League referee, Roger East is pictured here with a young man who competed in KickOff@3's Daniel De Gale cup on 7 July 2019. Nothing unusual there, right?
Well, maybe a little - you see this isn't just the wise ref dispensing advice to a keen young player, neither is it a word to the wise about a naughty incident on the pitch.
You see he aspires to follow in Roger's footsteps, as a professional referee, and luckily, Roger's only too pleased to support, mentor and guide him through the challenges ahead. This is an inspirational show of unity across generations, helping the youth to prosper and thrive whilst avoiding the pitfalls and we plan for this to be the first of many varied partnerships.
There are so many opportunities within the beautiful game besides being a player, in these enlightened times both sexes have the chance to emulate Roger, working through the ranks to Premier League Referee (see Roger's biography on our Ambassador tab) or taking their coaching badges and one day manage club or country.
KickOff@3 continues to seek mentors, job and educational opportunties for our young people and will share any news we have on this page.