Youth sports social action programme launches
Adam Offord
Thursday, April 21, 2016
An initiative designed to encourage young people to run their own sport and physical activity projects has been launched by a youth social action charity. ??
Delivered by vInspired in partnership with Sport England, the Get Active for Good programme will give funding to 14- to 25-year-olds to set up and run sport and activity projects that increase take-up of healthy activities across communities. ?
?Grants of up to £500 are available to young project leaders across the UK through a £55,680 pot, who will have to design and run their own sports social action projects, as well as recruit at least three other people as volunteers to help deliver them.?
Team monitors from the charity will also provide support to the young leaders, who’s project ideas could include a five-a-side football tournament for child refugees or yoga for the elderly. ??
Jessica Taplin, chief executive of vInspired, said the programme will help young people develop important life skills as well as deliver benefits within their local communities.
??“There’s a lovely double benefit to Get Active for Good," she said. "It helps promote the young participant’s physical and mental wellbeing while also delivering a project that improves their surrounding community.”
??Phil Smith, director of sport at Sport England, added: “Using sport and physical activity to engage young people in volunteering while developing their personal skills is a really exciting opportunity and we are delighted to be supporting vInspired to deliver this programme.”
The sports initiative forms part of vInspired’s “Cashpoint” programme, which has been running for more than four years, and aims to develop young people’s skills, wellbeing, and social capital, to help them into employment, education and training.??
??Young people interested in setting up a sports project can apply to the programme by visiting vinspired.com/cashpoint.?