Us Active
Us ActivitiesEnjoyable, high quality sports and physical activities for young people
Improving young people’s mental health through sport and exercise
The US Journey
The programmes we arrange for individual young people are personalised and based on their needs and interests so each ‘US Journey’ will be different. We encourage each young person to identify their own choice of sport or activity because we believe this will make it easier for exercise to become an enduring part of their life.
Each young person will join US at a different stage in their wellbeing and fitness journey, and so this is our starting point. Together we create a plan that provides the right support and removes the barriers to getting and staying active: support from family and friends, our dedicated team and coaches, local venues and sessions.
With ongoing support and regular reviews with one of our team, each US journey will change as our participants become increasingly independent and confident being active.
What might an US Journey Look like?
It might be hard to imagine what an US Journey might look like. Imagine a young person who is referred by their GP. They are conscious about their weight and have low self-esteem and social anxiety which is made worse by being with unfamiliar people.
Following a discussion with the young person and their parents, US arranges some personal training sessions with a trainer working in a small, quiet gym.
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The young person works really hard on their training and becomes more confident in their technique. At a similar time there are two other young people working with a coach at a similar progress point. US creates a small group fitness class for these participants to build on their progress and provide an opportunity to continue with their fitness.
The group work together regularly with the trainer in the gym, becoming fitter and improving their wellbeing; the young people are building a friendship, and becoming more socially confident.
The final stage in the young person’s journey is that having developed a relationship with the staff and other members of the gym, they begin attending independently of the group with a friend.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I CONTACT US ACTIVE?
Us Active supports young people who are affected by mental health issues. These are the steps to getting involved…
Focussed one to one sessions
In this case we can find a specialist coach/trainer to initially work one to one with a young person. This ensures a personalised programme which provides the learning or emotional support to progress the young person onto the next stage of their journey.
Support to access community provision
However, US understands how making that first step to start a new activity can be hard on your own, and that’s why we can offer the support of a keyworker to help a young person make that step and beat that fear!
US Groups
Throughout the year – usually during school holidays – we offer group activities for our young people to get active, maybe try something new, and to meet other people.
Working with other organisations
US works with partner organisations who have pre-existing groups of young people who are in our target group and would benefit from our support to become active. We work with the young people and their staff team to identify activities they’d be interested in doing together and arrange the sessions.
This could either be one off events or a regular programme. We welcome any organisations getting in touch to discuss working together with a group of young people.
Why We’re Getting Active
Research confirms that sports and physical fitness activities empower young people experiencing mental health and emotional well-being issues to:
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Feeling good and have fun
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Improved mental and physical health
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Becoming more confidence
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Improved self-esteem and self image
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Reduced isolation and new friendships
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Being more engagement in other aspects of life, including school or work.
Meet The Us Active Team
Administration
Suzanne McFarlane
Chief Operaing Officer
Lucy Steel
Referrals and Activities Co-ordinator
Sarah Cooper
Administrator
Key Workers
Alex Rowland
Key Worker
Beth Veitch
Key Worker
Dani Atkinson
Key Worker
Lois Egerton
Key Worker
Meet the Trainer
If you’d also like to know more about the trainers US Active work with, visit our ‘Meet the Trainers’ page here.
Transforming Lives Through Sport
Recent Activities
October Overview
This October was packed with exciting activities and memorable moments! We hosted a fantastic half-term event, which featured a range of thrilling activities like archery, laser tag, and snow tubing. It was a fun-filled experience that brought everyone together,...
Summer Recap
This Summer has been bustling with activity. We've welcomed new participants into activities like archery, paddleboarding, horse riding, swimming lessons, and trampolining! Many young people have also gained the confidence to start going to the gym independently....
What Happens Next?
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More About Us
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