What do you do when you’re young and bored?

The school day is done, but when you head home boredom awaits. At least in the holidays there are usually activities on offer, but what do you do the rest of the year?
Whilst parents and carers world-wide are likely familiar with the phrase, ‘I’m bored!’ for many young people in Bletchley their opportunities really are limited and options often negative. Family life is often hard, with a high number of children living in income deprived households and many facing multiple inequalities in life.

All People Active (APA) is a Community Interest Company (CIC) who work in Milton Keynes and see first-hand the challenges young people from disadvantaged communities and marginalised groups face. Successfully delivering holiday activities, APA saw the need for a yearlong opportunity for young people in Bletchley, but they needed investment and a venue.

Meanwhile, Leap, the Active Partnership for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes was working to build strong relationships and meaningful partnership in the local area and had identified Sir Herbert Leon Academy (SHLA) as a prime school facility to benefit from Opening School Facilities (OSF) funding. SHLA saw the opportunity to open their facilities to benefit the surrounding community and a project plan developed. Challenge met opportunity and the three organisations worked collaboratively to create, fund, host and deliver a weekly multisport/dance session and Pickleball session.

Key factors

  • Informal recreation

At the sessions the young people expressed that they liked to have a choice of activities. The informal, multisport nature of the session allows the young people to pick and choose how they want to be active and the attendees like the variety. The sessions are relaxed with instruction/coaching only when the young people want this. This approach of being led by the young people supports regular participation, feeling heard makes them want to come back each week.

  • Focus on fun

The culture and atmosphere that is created by the instructors and deliverers of All People Active is about fun and has a great social element to it. The aim of the sessions is to have fun doing whatever the young people choose. There are plenty of opportunities for the young people to chat and this has encouraged many to bring their friends.

  • Trusted partners

All People Active are a known physical activity provider in the area from running Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes. Having this local link already, they understand the needs and wants of the young people in the area and can link their offers together creating this year long opportunity.
Having the session based at the school provides a familiar, safe space for the young people to go to after the school day has finished.

 

Who were the key players and what did they bring?

All People Active (APA

APA remove barriers to physical activity by delivering activities for all people, especially those living in disadvantaged communities and who belong to marginalised groups. They brought a proven concept and experience of delivering engaging sessions to young people across Milton Keynes.

“All People Active are so pleased to be working with SHLA on the OSF programme, as they share similar values to APA. It’s great to have the trust and understanding of the school, so we’re able to engage and consult with the young people who may not be attracted to the traditional after school sports programme. This means we can tailor our offer to their needs to get them active, healthy and happy! Thanks to Leap, the Dept of Education and Olivia and the team at SHLA for their support, long may it continue.”

James Gregory
Founder and Director, All People Active

 

Sir Herbert Leon Academy

Provided the facility, connected with the students and a commitment to engaging with and serving their local community. 

“It’s been great to work with APA on the OSF programme as it’s helped the school; despite our limited capacity – to offer the pupils a vibrant and varied multi-sport youth club offer on top of the more traditional after school sessions we have. It’s been great to enhance our programme to ensure ALL our students get the chance to be physically active and playing sport after school, even the students who wouldn’t describe themselves as being sporty. Thanks to all for their support!

Olivia McHugh, Teacher of PE
Sir Herbert Leon Academy

 

Leap

Connections, expertise and investment. Through their role Leap was able to ensure Opening School Facilities investment was used to effectively tackle inequalities and create positive experiences for young people.

“This was a fantastic partnership to expand the excellent work of APA in the area. The investment enabled this collaboration to break down barriers to movement for young people living in a disadvantaged community.”

Rhiannon Smith
Development Manager, Leap

 

 

What did the young people think?

“This is my first time to the session today and I love the boxing. I came today because otherwise I will just be at home bored as I don’t have a mobile phone.”

Participant – year 7

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“I come to these sessions as once school is done I would be stuck at home as I don’t go out.”

Participant – year 7

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 “I love the dancing. I come because I can do something with my friends and get away from my dad and brother.”

Participant – year 8

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“At the first few weeks of the sessions the young people were reluctant to do dance and now look at them even the boys are joining in due to increases in confidence”

Dance instructor

 

You can find out more about the Opening School Facilities investment here.