Children and Young People

We want to ensure that every young person from all backgrounds within Herefordshire and Worcestershire develops positive experiences and relationships with physical activity and sport. We are committed to supporting communities, schools, colleges, universities and other youth settings to inspire a generation and increase participation in sport and physical activity.

We work with young people aged 4-24 and organisations who work with young people, to provide opportunities that meet the needs of young people, reach those for whom physical activity and sport can make the biggest difference. We support local communities to provide sustainable and empowering opportunities for continued engagement.

The physical benefits of an active lifestyle are widely documented, however increased activity also offers numerous mental and social advantages. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions have highlighted the challenges that children and young people face through being socially isolated from friends and family, as well as experiencing increased levels of anxiety and stress. Being physically active can play a vital role in managing wellbeing, as well as offering an environment for young people to learn new skills and behaviours.

What is the difference between PE, physical activity and sport?

Early positive experiences are vital in developing a lifelong habit of physical activity and sport. Levels of physical literacy can be improved through varied activity in childhood. Physical literacy has five elements: Enjoyment, Confidence, Competence, Understanding and Knowledge.

Physical Education (PE) – Planned and progressive learning that takes place within the setting of the national curriculum within schools and is delivered to all pupils within Primary and Secondary Schools. Physical education is about learning how to move, the different components of movement and learning non-physical skills through movement (e.g. cooperation, teamwork, resilience etc). Physical education is developing those physical skills that allow young people to be more diverse in the activities they will be able to undertake in the future.

What are the benefits of participating in PE?

• Lifelong movement skills that help support future physical activity and/or sport participation
• Participate alongside peers and classmates
• Increased activity can improve students' attainment

Physical Activity – A much wider term that refers to any type of physical movement that requires energy. Physical activity covers a range of different activities such as indoor and outdoor play, dance, outdoor adventure, active travel (walking, cycling, scooting etc.), gym activities, gardening and much more. Being physically active does not mean you have to be 'sporty', competitive or gasping for breath. 'Active' or 'Inactive' refers to the time in which we are physically moving our bodies.

What are the benefits of being physically active?

• Flexible and can be tailored to your interests and preferences
• No rules, no structure and you can go at your pace
• Can be fitted into your daily routine

Sport – Usually a structured and planned activity that may include elements of formal or informal competition (although not always!). Sport tends to be more structured than physical activity or education due to the inclusion of game rules. In addition to the benefits of being active, sport provides an environment which encourages the development of skills such as teamwork, resilience, confidence and self-esteem. The school setting provides a range of opportunities for sports participation outside of lesson-time including school sport teams and events such as the School Games. There is also a wide variety of community clubs that offer sport activities. You can find these through our Activity Finder.

Benefits of Sport

• Increase your social circle through joining a club or team
• Competitive opportunities as well as training
• Develop specific skills

Ideas to get Children & Young People active

With some options still limited we know it can be tricky finding ways to keep the kids active, or to get active with them.

With a huge range of fun activities from Disney dancing to Cosmic Kids Yoga, Sport England have collated a set of activities to help keep the kids active and entertained: https://www.sportengland.org/jointhemovement?section=get_active_with_the_kids

You can also discover 100s of ideas from the Active Recovery Hub to bring the fun this summer by visiting https://www.yourschoolgames.com/active-recovery/

Kerrie O'Mahony

Project Manager (Children & Young People)

• Children and Young people Programmes
• Virtual Schools
• Strategic Lead for the School Games
• Physical Activity and Health
• This Girl Can Programme
• Active Lives
• Safeguarding Officer

Mobile

07766611946

Email

k.omahony@worc.ac.uk

Sarah Milward - Maternity Leave

Project Officer (Children & Young People)

• School Games Operations
• Active Lives Survey (CYP) Lead
• This Girl Can programme
• Campaign support
• Sports equipment

Mobile

07766 991855

Email

s.milward@worc.ac.uk