US charity offers support to North East based young people aged between 12 and 25, who are experiencing or are at risk of developing mental health difficulties.
Our mission is to help our young people to become physically active and transform their lives, driven by the growing evidence that exercise is not only good for physical health, but also has an incredibly positive impact on mental health.
In all our work US aims to destigmatise mental illness.
US works on an outreach basis across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and North Durham providing bespoke sport and exercise activities for small groups and individuals, encouraging participants to become active and reap the acknowledged benefits of physical activity. These include: improved mood and social interaction, development of friendships and networks, increased confidence and self-esteem as goals are achieved, and improved engagement and success with other support agencies, education and employment.
Small group size, individual planning and skilled delivery combine with the impact of exercise on mental and physical health to transform lives.
We have built a large network of referral agencies from health and care, education and training, justice and the community and voluntary sectors. They introduce young people to our organisation and we also take direct referrals from individuals and families.
Activities are delivered by coaches, tutors and trainers from our bank of outstanding providers and we have key workers and volunteers who support and progress young people onto, through and beyond their US journey.
We encourage each young person to identify their own choice of sport or activity in order to nurture a sustained lifelong interest. To date we have delivered yoga, fitness training, gymnastics, horse-riding, archery, golf, circus skills, dance, climbing, ice skating, swimming, football, badminton, bowling and others.
During the COVID Pandemic we have delivered live online sessions for groups and individuals using ZOOM. Young people and their families have appreciated this. We have also built a bank of online resources on our website.
