If you are female struggling with life’s pressures and you live in the Teesside area then there is a group that can help support you. Tees Valley Sport have supported NACRO to develop a programme of sport and physical activity targeting women in Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland.
The SWITCH (Supporting Women in the Community and Home) project is sponsored by the National Lottery. The organisation was set up to help vulnerable women get into education, employment or training.
The clients that SWITCH deal with arrive with multiple issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety and financial problems.
A variety of routes are offered into education, sport and vocational training in order to create opportunities for those affected to rebuild their lives.
Every woman who comes through the door is carefully assessed by the project to decide which outreach worker is most suited to their needs.
Outreach worker Terri Morrow said:
“We assess everyone and focus on their needs so there is full support in place, when the women come in we firstly focus on building their confidence with the wide range of activities we have to offer, and we have found that sport can play a key role.”
Socialise with SWITCH is one of the main activities on offer where the women can chat to one another in a safe confidential environment. Other activities include arts & crafts and cooking, but sport & physical activity has proved to be very popular. A group of women helped launch the BoroGirlsCan campaign and have also taken part in yoga and netball sessions.
Nacro Personal and Social Development Trainer, Lucy Scott said:
“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing someone earn their qualification or move into an apprenticeship or return to education.”
Looking towards the future SWITCH have a range of events lined up, one of these events involves healthy eating and exercise with their community support partners at Tees Valley Sport and will see participants engaging in activities such as volleyball and fencing which could then lead on to further sports coaching and activator qualifications.
You can find out more about the project by following the link below;
http://fis.middlesbrough.gov.uk/kb5/middlesbrough/fsd/service.page?id=wneJAnGy8gM