Across the UK, children and young people have been heavily impacted by holiday lockdowns and disrupted schooling. For many young people, lack of mental and physical stimulation, increased by financial or household hardships, has seriously affected their wellbeing.
Providing children with activity programs is partly a process of inspiring them toward their goals and partly a way of offering them mental health support. According to a recent NHS Digital Survey, one in six children in England had developed a mental disorder in 2021, and nearly 40% had experienced a deterioration in their mental health.
StreetGames’ research has found that young people needed the support of sporting provisions. Not only a provision, but a provision of multisport which exposed them to new sports and gave them the opportunity to socialise. 70% Doorstep Sports participants who weren’t active said that socialising was a serious driver for them.
Multisports are a key element in inspiring sustained activity, with new opportunities like Yoga; a recognised form of mind-body medicine, a pathway to responding to mental wellbeing issues.
StreetGames piloted two projects with the aim of improving wellbeing and resilience in 14-25 years olds in areas of social deprivation using Yoga. The focus on strength and mobility was a great success in both Pilots in Rochdale and Liverpool. More than 90% reported positive results in Rochdale, with two-thirds reporting increased energy levels in Liverpool.
For more information on how StreetGames has been empowering young people through sport, see here, or learn how you can involve your community in a Yoga sports program in collaboration with StreetGames here.
