As the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation celebrates its two-year anniversary, the CSP Network is pleased to support the aim of using the power of sport and recreation to promote mental wellbeing through physical activity.
Across the country CSPs are undertaking numerous projects to improve the mental wellbeing of their communities.
Yorkshire Sport Foundation established their Better with Friends Project which provides opportunities for disabled people to become more physically active by matching them with a volunteer befriender who attends a sport or physical activity sessions with them. This helps overcome the barriers disabled people often experience that result in them becoming socially isolated and less likely to take part in physical activity.
SY was recommended to sign up to the project by a Clinical Psychologist who was concerned SY was becoming more social isolated. The impact has been huge.
SY’s mum says six months into the intervention
... “my daughter is like a different person. She is much happier and loves going swimming with her befriender. She has now joined the gym also and is feeling much better about herself. Her befriender is so supportive and friendly with friends and always willing to change the day if SY cannot attend. I never thought we would find a service like this and had looked everywhere for help to get SY into activities but nobody was willing to support her”.
County Durham Sport’s - Inspire Project works with primary schools promote mental well-being in their pupils by building resilience, inspiring confidence and helping to develop self-worth, through the power of sport. Children are engaged in practical workshops which are challenging, fun and designed to support ‘self-awareness’ as well as promoting mental well-being.
A Key Stage 2 pupil involved in the programme said;
“We learned about different ways to think about yourself like being happy and sad sometimes and how to deal with these feelings better.”
Merseyside Sports Partnership worked with Person Shaped Support and a local boxing club to enable 24 previously inactive young women who were already involved or at risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system the opportunity to become involved in physical activity.
Everyone involved in the Women’s Turnaround - Physical Activity and Sport Project reported improvements in their self‐confidence, mental health and wellbeing.
Participant 1 said:
“It came just at a time when I was trying to sort myself out and I had started to give up the drink and eat better but I needed to get moving. The kick boxing was fab because it let me exercise and it was disciplined with a routine so I could see myself getting more into it each week…. I feel so different in myself”
Note To Editors
For more examples on how CSPs are helping improve the mental wellbeing of their communities or information on the CSP Network please contact Nicki Couzens ncouzens@cspnetwork.org
Additional Information on the Mental Health Charter
- Launched by Sport and Recreation Alliance the Charter aims to help organisations create an inclusive and positive sport and recreation environment that promotes the power of sport to tackle mental ill health.
- Every year one in four people will experience a mental health problem and organisations commit to the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation to use the power of sport and recreation to promote positive mental wellbeing.
- The Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation sets out how sport can use its collective power to tackle mental ill health and the stigma that surrounds it. If you'd like to register your organisation as a Charter signatory please contact us policy@sportandrecreation.org.uk alternatively visit http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/policy/campaigns-initiatives/the-mental-health-charter-for-sport-and-recre
Additional Information on CSP Network
- The CSP Network represents 44 local County Sports Partnership teams across the country.
- Collectively, they contribute to the health of the nation by helping local partners, organisations and deliverers to promote the benefits of active lifestyles across local communities.
- The CSP Network delivered The Community Games – one of the most successful community campaigns seen in the UK, attracting over 2 million members of the public to come together in local communities to take part in active cultural events inspired by London 2012.