Active Black Country signs up to the Youth Sport Trust's National School Sport Week

We are preparing to join the Youth Sport Trust (YST) and schools up and down the country to mark a week-long celebration of the power of Physical Education and school sport to improve young people’s wellbeing.  

YST National School Sport Week (NSSW) will inspire schools and supporters to use Physical Education and school sport much more intentionally to promote wellbeing and support the personal development of young people between 24 and 28 June.

We will be taking part in the YST’s awareness week with a theme of ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ and joining schools, teachers, parents, young people and others across the country to show why PE and sport should be considered an essential part of the curriculum alongside Maths and English.

Tim Aldred, Active Black Country's Local Partnership Officer (Education), said:

It is great to be encouraging National School Sport week and encouraging people to be more active and celebrate PE. PE and sport has an essential role to play in every young person’s development and it’s great to see organisations committing to the wellbeing of all young people through PE and sport. Our main event of the week will be our Annual Black Country School Games Festival on the 28th June."

Across the week, Active Black Country will be among those supporting calls for how PE and school sport help young people to experience the five widely-recognised ways to wellbeing.

Ali Oliver, Chief Executive Officer at the Youth Sport Trust, said:

It’s fantastic that Active Black Country is taking part and showing their commitment to championing the power of sport to improve young people’s lives.  

The wellbeing of young people has been in decline and too many are struggling with issues that a good quality Physical Education could support them with. But four in five young people aren’t active enough and schools have been cutting time for PE on the curriculum.

To turn this around we need like-minded schools, teachers, parents, young people and others to join together this YST National School Sport Week and show why PE and sport have an essential role to play in every young person’s development and the subject should have the same importance as Maths and English within a child’s education.

The focus of YST National School Sport Week 2019 will be on raising awareness of the vital role of PE and school sport in helping young people experience the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’: i) getting them active, ii) connecting, iii) giving back, iv) taking notice and v) learning.

I’d urge anyone who cares about young people’s health, happiness and success in school to sign up and join our campaign to improve young people’s lives.”

Anyone can take part in YST National School Sport Week by signing up at www.youthsporttrust.org/nssw. The charity will share key developments and provide free resources with schools and supporters to help promote events and offer tips and ideas for getting the most out of the week.

Among those championing the week will be Ben Smith, the man who ran 401 marathons in 401 days. Schools will be given an opportunity for their pupils to be part of his next awe-inspiring challenge, USA 2020, through a partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and his 401 Foundation, which will culminate in National School Sport Week 2020.

Ben is a wellbeing ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust. He said:

I’m delighted to be working with the Youth Sport Trust. Their mission is really close to my heart because I believe that physical exercise can help people to ‘find their happy’ and improve their wellbeing irrespective of their ability or background.”

Follow and join in the conversation on social media using @YouthSportTrust #NSSW

ENDS

For more information and media enquiries around YST National School Sport Week and the Youth Sport Trust, please contact Isabel Dunmore in the press office on 07825065195 or Isabel.dunmore@youthsporttrust.org