Youth Sport Trust has drawn attention to the power of PE and sport for thousands of children battling stress, loneliness, and isolation. They highlighted children’s mental health charity, Place 2 Be, which shared the story of a young person’s battle with bereavement.

In the past year, there has been an increase in children and young people being referred for mental health issues. NHS figures show that referrals for serious mental health problems for under-18s have increased by 39% in the past year. Ruby, the young person in the story, felt that PE and sport had saved her life when she most needed support.

Ruby is one of more than 21,000 young people who have benefitted from strategies taught by Youth Sport Trust’s Active in Mind programme. She was nominated by her teacher, who saw her struggling to adjust to life at secondary school.

The Active in Mind Programme helps at risk young people like Ruby with support using their network of athlete mentors. In her case, with the experience of starting secondary school after the death of her grandmother and father.

To find out more, see here.