Encouraging girls
to be active helps
reduce depression and
attention diffi culties,
as well as aggression
and rule-breaking
.DREAMSTIME.COM
WWW
PICTURE:
Solent University uses a similar and cheerleading at its permanent club
approach by taking 12 dance machines, and in schools and community centres.
supplied by Pulse Fitness, into the “Young people don’t necessarily leave
community on Friday and Saturday what they consider their territory, so
nights to hubs where teenage gangs we go to them,” says Bateson.
hang out. Other activities brought “The biggest challenge in running
on-site to occupy the teens’ time the programmes is getting through the
include football and basketball. The barriers to reach the youths. It’s not
programme engages more than 40 like we can go knocking on people’s
youths aged 11–19 each week and local doors,” she adds. “Speaking to schools,
police offi cers are being asked by the social and youth workers – who are
youths where the dance mats will be at all very busy with their own agendas –
the weekend, so they can use them. and trying to get them to recognise the
benefi ts and buy into the programmes
the right activities is problematic. But we can’t reach the
“To engage with particularly hard-to- children without their support.”
reach young people, who waste their Sye believes consistency and
time on the streets, you have to take commitment is as key as community
an approach that has credibility on the buy-in. “An organisation must develop
street,” explains Anne Bateson, founder trust with the youths and provide
of Leeds-based social enterprise World a community environment that’s
of Fitness. “Boxing is recognised as accessible and welcoming,” he says.
a sport, has the discipline and the According to Sye, the transformation
credibility required to engage young of the gang members after yoga was
people, and has proven very successful “incredible”, with many of them
in getting and keeping them on track.” becoming respectful, laughing and
World of Fitness also offers classes adopting taught social parameters
in hip-hop, street dance, martial arts which they didn’t have before.
may 2009 © cybertrek 2009
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