Lancashire Association of Boys and Girls Clubs support Youth Clubs and Groups, across Lancashire. In particular to youth groups based in deprived areas of the county with whom we design and deliver youth work activities to meet the needs of the more vulnerable young people, living in these neighbourhoods. In 2022 we ran a successful Summer Holiday Activity Week, and for the Summer Holidays this year, based on the feedback we received about last year’s programme, we are aiming to offer more days of activities over a longer period during the summer break; three to four days a week over six weeks. The recreational and educational multi activity days, will involve; team building, communication and group work, for up to 40 young people (per day) aged from 8 to 24, primarily 12-16 year olds. The aim is to encourage young people to have fun, learn new skills, take a break from their mobile devices and form new real life friendships.

What we'll deliver:

• 12-18 days of education sports activities at Forrest Hills, Lancaster
• Activities will include: Bushcraft, Team Building, Archery, Zorb Football, Mountain Boarding, Geo-caching and Tri-Golf.
• Between 360-540 young people aged between 8 and 18, taking part across the 12-18 days of activities

Why it's a great idea:

The young people who attend will be encouraged to develop a positive attitude to challenge and adventure; they will gain personal confidence and will develop stronger trust and bonds with their peers. Additionally, they will develop a greater understanding of themselves; improve their social skills and learn to appreciate the contributions and achievements of both themselves and others. Overall, we envisage that all the young people who attend will enjoy taking part in new outdoor challenges; gain memorable experiences; develop character through learning new skills; taking on new challenges; and, by achieving and celebrating successes, be inspired, and become better able to accept and overcome future challenges that life will bring. We will provide all the resources and trained staff to undertake the work and the young people involved in the activities will be drawn from our network of youth clubs and groups from across Lancashire.

Steps to get it done:

• Booking venue and equipment
• Creating and issuing publicity materials
• Writing and submitting other applications for grants
• Booking transport
• Creating a booking form and data base (monday.com)
• Launching the programme

We are aware from current news that rates of poor mental wellbeing have increased significantly amongst young people in 2022 (see data below ). We are also aware that research has evidenced the benefits of physical activity for individuals with mental health challenges to their recovery, including reduced symptoms, weight reduction, and improved cardiovascular health. Subsequent research also illustrates beneficial characteristics of successful community-based recreation programmes, and finds that: physical, social and creative community recreation can contribute to the recovery and social inclusion of young people with mental health challenges. Additionally, inclusive recreation environments set the stage for cultivating friendships where staff are properly trained on supporting camaraderie among participants and facilitating communication with groups they lead. NHS digital data – 39% increase in referrals for under 18s to over 1 million in 2021-2022, previously 839,570 in 2020-2021.