Girls only programme launches in Luton
Supporting Young Women in Luton
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is delighted to announce the launch of our partnership with Obex Dental, who have pledged to support an On Track To Achieve programme at Challney High School for Girls in Luton.
Obex Dental have a keen interest in supporting young women who are facing challenges or adversity in their everyday lives, are keen to give girls opportunities that they wouldn't normally get and open their eyes to new pathways. The programme, which kicked off with session one on January 23rd, will be led by Trust Athlete Mentor and former English National Champion badminton player, Suzanne Miller. The girls who have been selected for the programme are facing challenges such as keeping active as they cope with increasing school workload and peer pressure; and finding stability in order to be able to focus on their studies and prioritising their own health.
They are looking to find different ways to enjoy exercise that can increase their motivation to carry on and will in turn increase their confidence. With some having to be very self-sufficient, with parents that work long hours, they’re also focusing on finding ways to organise their daily routines and support their siblings, as well as finding time for schoolwork, friends and social time”
Motivating and aspirational, our programmes help young people build healthy relationships in school and with the wider community, as well as understanding the importance of physical and mental wellness. With a strong focus on their own personal development, the programme promotes positive behaviours and attitudes, and sets them up to achieve in education, work and life.
Reflecting on her first session with the young women, Su shared:
“I’ve been so excited to commence this project as Luton is an area close to my heart. My badminton academy has run from here since 2012 so I am very aware of the challenges young people in this area face in looking after their health and wellbeing. Challney Girls has a brilliant reputation, so I am delighted to be contributing to the development of their young people, which in turn will be giving back to a close-knit local community which will gain massively from their input.
It was our first session today and the students are great – even though it’s early days we have made small breakthroughs already so I’m really excited about the programme ahead!”
In our recent survey of over 2,000 young people, we saw a clear trend in the need to support young women with their wellbeing. Those surveyed told us they are more likely to worry about their wellbeing and less likely to feel positive about achieving their goals or coping with setbacks than their young male counterparts:
48% said they ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel positive about achieving their goals, compared to 58% of males
61% said they worry about their mental health, in comparison to 58% of males.
56% said confidence was holding them back, versus 46% of males
Female respondents consistently felt more under pressure, both from themselves (62% versus 45% of males) and from social media (53% versus 41% of males)
This highlights the continued need to offer female-only programmes, which provide young women and a girls a judgment free, safe space to be themselves and explore specific issues relevant to them.
Our female only programmes have previously demonstrated how positive an impact working with athlete mentors has on the young women involved, with confidence, self-esteem and self-belief improving by:
42% of the young women felt more confident after taking part in the programme (compared to 38% overall)
45% reported an improvement in their self-esteem (compared to 35% overall)
64% of young people reported an improvement in their self-efficacy/self-belief (compared to 1/3 overall)
With the group of young women at Challney School starting their programme this week, we look forward to following their journey, hearing more about their social action plans, and ultimately, increasing their confidence.