UTS Foundation Partners Claremount SEN School, Youth Sport Trust And Leeds Beckett University For Pioneering Pilot Study
With the decline in physical and emotional wellbeing of young people in the UK being so prevalent in today’s society there is now a greater need for sporting and health based projects to help young people, particularly those in distress.
Evidence demonstrates the link between physical activity and good mental health, as well as higher levels of academic achievement and higher levels of wellbeing overall.
As a result we are excited to be working with Claremount SEN School, the Youth Sport Trust, Leeds Beckett University and 24 other schools to pilot this new national programme.
Last November we helped deliver an 'Inspiration Day' with UTS Ambassador and Coach, Dave Bolton discussing the obstacles he has faced throughout his life before delivering a number of UTS style coaching sessions.
Similar programmes that have been developed and delivered like Change4Life, Girls Active and YA Peer Leaders demonstrate that peer mentoring and approaches have a positive benefit to raising physical activity levels.
We are looking forward to continuing to work with these partners to deliver and evaluate a pioneering national initiative and ensure it acts as a vehicle for change through sport.
The project will see 250 young people, aged 15 to 18, act as mentors to a total of 750 young people experiencing mental wellbeing issues, supporting them in becoming physically active.
The project will provide an alternative approach to simply addressing the mental health of the participant, by also tackling their physical health and social wellbeing.
Check out this excellent video, produced by our good friend David Godfrey, which captures the essence of what this project has to offer the children we work with.