Two Years of Impact: Croydon Wanderers RFC and Young Minders Empower Homeschooled Youth through Rugby
Young Minders rugby players with Croydon Wanderers Coach and Director of Rugby Jean-Charles Di Schino
It has been two years now that Croydon Wanderers RFC and Young Minders have been working hand in hand to offer Rugby sessions to homeschooled young people.
This partnership with Young Minders is at the heart of Croydon Wanderers RFC's community mission to introduce rugby to our youth and develop the basic skills required to play and enjoy our sport.
A Vision for Inclusive Community Pathways
Lydia Wanini, Young Minders Founder and Charity Relationships Lead, said:
“Over the past two years, it has been fantastic to build such a strong and consistent relationship with Croydon Wanderers RFC. What began as introductory access to rugby for home-educated young people has developed into a meaningful pathway, with clear progression into club activity, increased confidence, and growing engagement from both young people and parents.
From a Young Minders perspective, this partnership sits very much at the heart of our wider long-term vision — to create structured, sustainable pathways that connect home-educated and underserved young people to trusted community spaces, such as sports clubs, where they can build confidence, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for progression beyond our sessions.”
Young Minders take part in a rugby session on the pitch at Croydon Wanderers RFC
Lydia continued: “The model we are developing together is exactly what we hope to continue building in other settings — a replicable approach in which local clubs serve as accessible entry points to sport and community life.
Looking ahead, we are very keen to continue and strengthen this partnership with Croydon Wanderers RFC and further position the club as a consistent and recognised destination for home-educated young people in the community.
We really value the relationship we’ve built over the past two years and look forward to continuing to grow this work together.”
Remarkable Progress On and Off the Pitch
Jean-Charles Di Schino, Director of Rugby at Croydon Wanderers RFC, commented:
"It has been brilliant to welcome Young Minders to the club and run their rugby sessions. The progress made by the children has been absolutely remarkable and very rewarding as a coach, and their engagement has been exemplary, with their parents being very supportive.
Young Minders children and parents on the pitch at Croydon Wanderers RFC
It is exactly what we are about and what we want to achieve at Croydon Wanderers RFC—welcoming our local communities and developing bonds with people through rugby that we would not necessarily have been able to reach and meet.
The next step for us is to encourage the most motivated to join the club. We are delighted to see that one of them started the rugby programme we run with the Matt Ratana Foundation, and another one has been joining our Thursday night Touch Rugby sessions. Furthermore, two mums have shown interest in helping us start our new Women's Rugby section. This is such a win-win situation, exactly the type of bridge we hope to build as a community sports club.
We really hope to carry on this partnership in the future and to increase the number of participants, offering these children a sport activity and a first step into rugby."
Get Involved: Help Us Build Stronger Communities!
Great communities are built by the people who show up. Whether you are a parent looking for a welcoming space for your child, a local volunteer eager to make a difference, or a business interested in sponsoring our grassroots initiatives, there is a place for you here at Croydon Wanderers.
For Parents & Youth: Want to try rugby in a supportive, fun environment? Come along to our next session!
For Volunteers & Coaches: Help us expand our reach and mentor the next generation of players.
For Partners: Help us replicate this win-win model in more local communities.
Contact Croydon Wanderers RFC or Young Minders today and find out how you can get involved!