1. Introduction

Project MOVE BEYOND No. ID 2019-1-NL01-KA204-060534

1. Introduction

Sport and physical activity are opportunities for youth to develop competencies and to gain experiences that can be used in other non-sport settings. They are also hypothesised to contribute to positive youth development. This is especially true for socially vulnerable youngpeople.

Active exercise started at a young age creates a basis for longer-term physical activity, a healthy lifestyle, and active social life. All forms of physical activity have a positive impact on young people’s growth, development, health, school success, overall well-being, and prevention of exclusion. In addition, physical activity serves as a source of healthy selfesteem for young people. From society’s point of view (as well as on a personal level), being physically active is very important for young people.

Physical activity of young people has decreased considerably over the past two decades and has increasingly been replaced by an entertainment culture coming through social media. As a result, young people’s leisure time has become more and moresedentary in recent years, and the time spent on computers, mobile and console games has increased significantly. A Finnish study done for students in secondary education confirms this. This dramatic increase in the use of electronic media may – paradoxically – increase young people’s sense of social isolation as the physical connection is lost. Only 14% of young people in high school engage in physical activity for the recommended duration of one hour a day. Twenty-two percentof young people in high school do physical exercise only for 0-2 days a week. Thereisa clear difference from those who study in vocational schools: there, only 13% of young people exercise the recommended time. Reasons behind this difference will be discussed in Chapter 3. (Kokko et al.,2020)

Young people’s enthusiasm for physical activity decreases markedly with age. The physical activity of young people has been found to decrease especially between the ages of 13 and 15. Another crucial point is during the transition from young adults into early adulthood. (Telama & Yang,2000)

Lack of physical activity is a risk factor for the development of many diseases in adulthood. The late adolescence period of life is important because, at this stage of life, adolescents are independent in choosing their lifestyles and different habits which will affect their whole life. They have more chances to develop unhealthy health-related behaviours.

Therefore, it is crucial to offer young people a chance to try to remain active and reap the benefits that can be gained from physical activities.

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