What is cats? CATS, Community Action Through Sport was set up by a school teacher and police officer in 2005, as a result of a dispersal area being formed in Bude to recognise all the positive impact youngsters were making, but was unrecognised in the public eye. The “raison d’etre” of CATS is to promote, recognise and reward young people for positive community action with sports and healthy living rewards. Simply put, far from assuming that all young people are bad, CATS offers young people the opportunity to get involved in a positive way with their community and awards them with sports activities and/or healthy living rewards. Very often sports, that the young person cannot afford or has not considered before. CATS is aimed at ALL young people. Whether they need to be directed into positive community action or are already great community members. Recognition is the key. Sport is the driving force.	aims & OBJECTIVES Improve confidence and self esteem by recognising self achievement and developing life skills and qualifications for young people To encourage access to sports facilities and healthier lifestyles by rewarding youngsters with sports not normally considered or afforded before To increase levels of community engagement and respect by developing relationships/respect across groups and generations To feel part of the community by ensuring engagement and recognition To reduce instances of anti social behaviour (target projects at ASB) by increasing youth involvement in physical activity Innovative ways to engage young people with the community by providing community project opportunities To ensure communities see the positive work that young people contribute to them and to celebrate that contribution	How does it work? CATS works by drawing together the experience and facilities of different organisations. We work with Schools – primary and secondary Police Councils Youth groups and services Sports providers Your community Young Person is nominated by: Anyone for any Positive Action in Their community Nominations sent to CATS committee (local branch that you set up with our help) Level of award(Level 1-5) designated Invitation to presentation evening Award presented in public arena Choice of Sport reward taken up by the young person Effectively, it helps communities more to recognise the pro-social activity that is going on across the area by ALL young people. This in turn will impact on local levels of Anti-Social Behaviour, having been proven to reduce this is areas where CATS is already working.