George Turner's scheme provides Wimbledon jobs for underprivileged teenagers

A scheme by George Turner, founder of the South London youth project Carnies Community, is providing 13 underprivileged teenagers with their first paid jobs at the Wimbledon tennis championships this summer. The initiative aims to break cycles of exclusion and offer life-changing opportunities to young people who might otherwise be written off.

Turner, who runs the project, explained that the young people helped come from a range of difficult backgrounds. "The people who most need to be included are the people who tend to be excluded," he said. "They're written off, and then essentially they're out there causing problems, getting in trouble, and also influencing negatively other young people as well." He added that working with someone who has experienced adversity can help turn their life around and break a massive cycle.

For many of the teenagers, working at Wimbledon was not something they had ever considered. One participant, Janaya, who works in the ladies' changing rooms, admitted she had not been a tennis fan before. "To be completely honest, the demographic of Wimbledon is clear for most people with eyes," she said. "And it's nice to see them doing some work to reach out to the people who wouldn't typically see themselves in this kind of place or in this kind of setting." She now describes herself as a big tennis fan.

The Wimbledon Foundation, the club's charitable arm, works with people like Turner to create more opportunities. A representative described Turner as "an absolute hero" who is "incredibly passionate and incredibly dedicated" to the young people he supports.

One former participant, Saskia, used the fortnight as a springboard to full-time employment. She said the experience was confidence-building and credited Turner with her progress: "If it wasn't for him, like, I wouldn't have been... I don't think I wouldn't make it as far in my life than I did, so I owe my thanks to him."

Turner, who was nominated as a "hero of the week" by a news programme, remained modest about his role. "I'm touched and a little bit embarrassed because I always see that I'm the figure point for Carnies as the person that runs it, but we have an unbelievable team," he said.

The scheme highlights how a major sporting event can create not just entertainment but also lasting social impact, with each job representing a small but significant life-changing moment for the young people involved.