Our Commitment to Community
Our ambition for the Birmingham Panthers is to be more than a netball team; we aim to act as a catalyst for positive change in Birmingham and beyond. Off the court, and inspired by the action on it, we will work to promote and enhance health, education, and inclusivity across one of the UK’s most culturally diverse and youthful regions.
Community outreach is central to who we are. As a club, with everyone involved, we will build meaningful connections, inspire future generations, and ensure netball is accessible to everyone regardless of age, gender, ability, or background. We hope to set a benchmark for commitment to community engagement that others can aspire towards.
We understand that community outreach is about action not promises. Our commitment is showing up, listening to the needs of the community and making a difference.
What We Do
We will work to engage people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Our approach is multi-faceted and includes:
- Youth development: By partnering with schools and colleges and running grassroots programmes we ensure children and young adults can experience netball and fall in love with our sport.
Our pathways are designed to ensure those participating can reach their potential and foster a lifelong love of playing and develop life skills such as teamwork, healthy living and respect. - Community Events: From hosting tournaments and meet-and-greets with our players to participating in local festivals, we are determined to bring netball to the heart of every community in our region. Our events are not just about competition, they are about creating fun, inclusive environments that unite people and create togetherness and friendships.
We organise events but also attend community get-togethers hosted by others with our hard-working mascot available to fist-bump and put smiles on faces. - Promoting Good Causes: We seek to make positive change. Whether helping raise awareness for mental health conditions, working with partners to promote sustainability or doing all we can to promote inclusivity and understanding, the Panthers strive to make meaningful contributions that extend beyond netball.
We will give back to the region that supports us.
Why We Are Different
As a new franchise we have been afforded the opportunity to do things differently and have used this unique advantage to build a team where community engagement is at the heart of all we do.
However, this also creates challenges and we know we cannot use a one-size-fits-all approach.
To ensure everyone can benefit, we will host free-to-attend events, ensure all accessibility needs are met and visit areas where netball, and often sport, have struggled to penetrate. We liaise with community leaders to understand the unique needs of each location.
All our NSL players and coaching staff fully buy into our ambitions and will attend community events and use their reach to encourage participation. Our squad have reached the highest level via different routes - some only taking up the sport in their later teens, others having overcome major setbacks. Their stories will act as inspiration to others.
Measuring Success
We hold ourselves accountable to the people of Birmingham. Our impact will be measured not only by attendance numbers or engagement metrics but by the stories we hear, letters from parents, smiles at events, and the bonds formed through sport.
We aim to be an organisation that the city can take pride in, one that reflects its energy, diversity, and ambition.
How can you hope to reach all groups?
We know that all-too-often events are staged where there is a lack of diversity in those attending. This is rarely the intention, instead it is a result of where the event is held, the cost to attend, the day and time and how it is advertised.
It is naive to simply expect people to come to our events, instead we will go to where people are and make events that are designed with their needs to the fore. This might mean free-to-attend events for those who face economic hardship and also events held throughout the region, tailored to the demographic in that location.
We will also work with communities and groups to discuss what would work best or them.
How will we be judged?
Internally, we set ambitious standards and have set goals we will strive to achieve. We will hold ourselves to account and share progress reports.
However, we will also be judged by the people of Birmingham and how they come to perceive the Birmingham Panthers and the impact we have. True success will be shown in people, across the board, engaging with the Panthers and having a sense that we have done our part to bring people together and work to the betterment of our region.
How can I find out more?
We are always happy to discuss our aims, progress and also to enable people to get in touch to discuss potential collaborations or requests for us to attend events.
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