Sport Issue 24.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Written by Youth Sport Trust
Get ready for YST National School Sport Week
Helping mental health Lipa Nessa (20), who is a youth ambassador for the YST and a football coach, featured in a new video created by the charity to raise awareness of how sport can help mental health. She said: “For myself, sport has helped me to deal with anxiety and depression. Children’s mental health is not talked about in the community at all. Mental health and sports together is such a good combination. It’s the best way, I feel, to deal with anxiety and depression and mental health in general.” The video also challenges stereotypes of young people and how sport can unlock potential in an age where a generation is facing Children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust (YST) has started the enormous pressures from exams, childhood countdown for this summer’s YST National School Sport Week, obesity, and a mental health crisis. It can be viewed via https://youtu.be/zOC5yS9LAkI which takes place from 24 to 28 June – with a call for more time Among those championing the week will be on the curriculum for physical education in every school Ben Smith, the man who ran 401 marathons in 401 days. Schools will be given an YST National School Sport Week will inspire “The focus of YST National opportunity for their pupils to be schools and supporters up and down the School Sport Week 2019 will part of his next awe-inspiring YST country to use physical education and be on raising awareness challenge, USA 2020, through Nationa school sport much more intentionally of the vital role of PE a partnership with the l School to promote wellbeing and support the and school sport in Youth Sport Trust and his S p o rt Week w personal development of young people. helping young people 401 Foundation, which ill inspir schools Every school will have the opportunity experience the ‘Five will culminate in National e to to take part in ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ Ways to Wellbeing’: School Sport Week 2020. educatio use physical between 24 to 28 June to celebrate getting them active; Ben is a wellbeing n and s port the power of PE and school sport to connecting, giving ambassador for the Youth to prom ote improve young people’s wellbeing. back, taking notice; Sport Trust. He said: “I’m wellbein The charity, which has been working in and learning. delighted to be working g partnership with education for 24 years to “I’d urge anyone who with the Youth Sport Trust. improve the provision and impact of physical cares about young people’s Their mission is really close to education, play and sport, has said too many health, happiness and success my heart because I believe that young people are missing out on the lifein school to sign up and join our physical exercise can help people to ‘find changing benefits that can be delivered with campaign to improve young people’s lives.” their happy’ and improve their wellbeing the right approach, and it’s time for change. irrespective of their ability or background.” Ali Oliver, chief executive officer at the Give sport a more central role There will be the chance for schools to win Youth Sport Trust, said: “The wellbeing of Across YST National School Sport Week, a visit from one of the Youth Sport Trust’s young people has been in decline and too schools and leading sports organisations inspirational athlete mentors by sharing their many are struggling with issues that a good across the country will be uniting behind best photos and videos during the week on quality physical education could support an urgent call for physical education, play social media demonstrating this year’s theme. them with. But four in five young people and sport to be given a more central role in Schools can take part in YST National aren’t active enough and schools have been addressing the many challenges faced by School Sport Week by signing up at www. cutting time for PE on the curriculum. this generation from physical and mental youthsporttrust.org/nssw. The charity will “To turn this around we need like-minded health, to personal and social development. share key developments and provide free schools, teachers, parents, young people The Youth Sport Trust will co-ordinate the resources with schools and supporters to and others to join together this YST National week profiling the five ways to wellbeing help promote events, offer tips and ideas School Sport Week and show why PE and across the five days of the week. On Monday, for getting the most out of the week. L sport have an essential role to play in every the theme is to be active, on Tuesday it is young person’s development and the subject to connect. On Wednesday the theme is to FURTHER INFORMATION should have the same importance as Maths give back, while on Thursday it is to learn. and English within a child’s education. Friday’s theme is to take notice. www.youthsporttrust.org/nssw
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