uS Activities
Enjoyable, high quality sports and physical activities for young people
Delivering sports and other physical fitness activities across the North East
Through our extensive Youth Consultation young people have indicated levels of interest in a vast number of activities; they have provided a great deal of advice about how uS should deliver.
Our programmes are tailored to meet the needs of small groups and individuals with the choice of activities being informed by the young people themselves. There will be groups for 12 to 18 year olds and 18 to 25 year olds and sessions will be run by suitably qualified specialist coaches for specific activities.
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:
- Feel good
- Improve their mental and physical health
- Make friends and have fun
- Improve their self-image
- Become more confident
- Set and achieve personal goals
- Be successful in education and training and increase their employability
Further Information
Since we launched, we have worked closely with:
- a secondary school in Newcastle, and Hat-Trick to deliver a range of activities for a group of young people after school. The offer has included dodgeball, badminton and rounders.
- the Helping Hands group and North Tyneside Council. Young people have engaged in badminton, table-tennis, mixed-martial arts, dodgeball and trampolining.
Young people and our delivery partners help uS to evaluate what works and develop future programmes.
uS Activities Delivery
- uS participants are a diverse range of young people and subsequently programmes are tailored to meet the needs of small groups and individuals
- Most activities will be delivered in small groups for young people already involved with an organisation such as a school, college, university charity and/or medical team (not an exhaustive list)
- uS will provide one to one activities where this meets the needs of a particular young person
- Most activities will be delivered for one hour per week over a period of ten weeks, including or adding a practical nutrition session
- Young people will inform the choice of activities for their group or themselves as individuals
- There will be groups for 12 to 18 year olds and 18 to 25 year olds
- Support with travel costs may be available for young people.
- Suitably qualified specialist coaches for specific activities
- Volunteer mentors who will provide additional support in all sessions
- uS Key Worker(s)
All of the delivery team will be DBS cleared and receive training to meet the needs of our young people
Participant Support
- Ask any questions they have about the activity programme
- Set between one and three personal goals
- Complete a pre-programme questionnaire to enable measurement of the impact of the programme
and
- If appropriate, apply for a clothing and equipment grant
- Complete a post-programme activity questionnaire to enable measurement of the impact of the programme. They will:
- feedback on the quality of the programme
- measure individual progress
- Draw up an individual exit strategy, which may involve further uS activities or supported access to the mainstream.
Coaches will assess fitness at the beginning of programmes and feedback on individual progress
Session 1 will be an ice-breaker event where young people get to know each other and their coach(es)
There will be an end of programme focus group and celebration.
- Measure the success of the programmes for individuals
- Plan the continuous improvement of provision
As the organisation grows uS will offer activities for parents and carers.
“If I’m feeling in a bad mood sport helps me to forget and feel better.”
“I make new friends and have a laugh when I participate in physical activities.”
“I love dodgeball as it is fast and furious and makes me feel good.”
