Over the past year, our Netball 4 Change programme has delivered transformational sports sessions to young women and girls across London and Newcastle.
Netball 4 Change uses netball to teach young women and girls aged 10-17 affected by overuse of social media how to stay safe online.
As a result of the programme’s success, over 100 young women and girls within five Bristol schools will now have the opportunity to experience the programme.
Using netball as a medium, coaches incorporate lessons on internet safety in to class exercises so that young people can evaluate the risks and detrimental impact that social media can have on their wellbeing.
One previous participant shared: “The programme has helped me to gain a better understanding of what I could be doing instead of being on social media, like spending time with my family.”
Our dedicated Programme Manager Elle developed the programme to ensure young people learnt these important lessons in an engaging and memorable way.
Everything from the four-tiered coaching timetable, to the social media safety booklets designed for parents and caregivers have created to ensure both the young people and their families are engaged and invested in the 12-week programme.
Elle shared: “Distributing booklets is a fantastic way of connecting families with a young persons’ progress and creates a better understanding of what the young people have been up to during each week of the programme.”
It must also be acknowledged that the success of this programme would not have been made possible without our dedicated partners, The Hargreaves Foundation.
Thanks to the support of their funding, more young women and girls across the UK now have the opportunity to experience the many benefits that this programme can offer such as developed sense of confidence, improved fitness and a rooted understanding of social media safety.
One previous programme graduate shared: “My confidence grew more as I got to know the girls in the session, even though I wasn’t as sporty as them I felt included.”
For more information on the programme and how to get involved please contact Elle at: ellenrowley@changefdn.org.uk
