Young People share hope in kent
Light at the End of the Tunnel: On Track to Achieve participants visit Broadstairs Station to share messages of hope and raise awareness of mental health challenges.
Students from St George’s School in Thanet visited Broadstairs Station in May to deliver their On Track to Achieve social action project: Light at the End of the Tunnel. The group have been taking part in the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust programme with their athlete mentor and former Team GB fencing captain and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Claire Bennett, since October. They were joined by Kent Police Officers, and some even got a lift back to school in the police car!
The programme aims to reduce the risk of young people becoming involved with crime and instead give them the confidence and skills to have a brighter future. With support from funders Southeastern Railway, Virtual School Kent, and Kent Community Foundation, Kent Police Child Centred Policing Team has partnered with Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to become the first police team in the country to engage with young people in this way.
The Trust’s recent research shows that looking after mental wellbeing is the number one priority amongst young people, with 60% of respondents saying they ‘always’ or ‘often’ worry about maintaining good mental wellbeing, and the group at St George’s is no exception. The young people’s chosen social action project is about raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention. Their visit to Broadstairs Station will see them presenting their work to the station manager and team, before showcasing the messages of hope, in the form of positive slogans or quotes and letters or poems, in a dedicated area that the station team has created for them.
Two students on the programme tell us about what they’ve learnt so far, and share their motivations for their social action project
District Commander for Thanet, Kent Police Chief Inspector Ian Swallow said:
“The aim of this programme is to make a positive impact on our local young people. They have chosen to tackle a challenging subject for their social action project, and they are now able to showcase their work at the station, through the continued support of Southeastern Railway. Through this work, we hope that young people feel more connected with their local communities and going forward will feel encouraged to play an active part in keeping our district safe.”
Dave Morgan, Assistant Headteacher at St George’s school said of the programme:
“Claire has formed good connections with the majority of the pupils involved and some have really opened up to her. Generally, there seems to be an improvement in most of the pupils, with fewer behaviour issues and more positive social interactions.”
Kent Police Child Centred Policing Team and Dave Morgan, Assistant Head, St George’s School tell us a bit more about the benefits of On Track to Achieve
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust puts world class athletes shoulder to shoulder with young people. The Trust’s athlete mentors work with young people facing adversity in their everyday lives, delivering transformational programmes designed to boost wellbeing, increase confidence, strengthen resilience and build self-esteem so individuals can fulfil their true potential.