New framework to help young people in Derbyshire engage in more active and healthy lives is unveiled
A renewed push to help young people in Derbyshire engage in more active and healthy lives has been outlined with the launch of Young Active Healthy – A Physical Activity and Sport Framework for Young People 2017 – 2021.
Physical activity levels for young people are alarmingly low across England, with the vast majority failing to meet minimum daily guidelines, and lifetime physical activity levels declining from the age of nine.
This new framework, launched by Derbyshire Sport, looks to address these challenges in Derbyshire, and aims to engage everyone from birth to 25, with a core focus on building positive attitudes to physical activity and sport in those aged five to 18.
The framework’s 27 outcomes will also aim to ensure young people remain active and address participation inequalities for girls, lower socio economic groups and disabled young people.
At an event to launch the framework, invited guests heard from Dean Wallace, Director of Public Health, Derbyshire County Council; Andy Knowles, Head Teacher, Tupton Hall School; Mark Tournier, Development Manager, Youth Sport Trust; Hayley Lever, Director, Derbyshire Sport; and Craig Homer, Sport Development Manager, Derbyshire Sport.
This was followed by discussions on how to help young people in Derbyshire engage in active and healthy lives both within places of learning and outside of the school day.
Hayley Lever, Director of Derbyshire Sport, said:-
“Think about individuals you know – what is it that you can do to get them active. There are massive challenges that get in the way, but I feel that if we tackle the outcomes in this framework it will make it more likely that young people will find a lifelong love of physical activity.”
Dean Wallace, Director of Public Health at Derbyshire County Council, also challenged those in the room to engage with a wider cross section of professionals and work with those in the NHS, housing, planning and other sectors to achieve the outcomes in the plan.
He also said the emphasis should be on encouraging young people to live active lives, rather than doing 60 minutes of physical activity per day and then being sedentary for the rest of the day.
He said:-
“We want people to sit less and do more. Physical activity is important throughout life. If we can get it right at the start it is much easier later in life and the positive impact on the NHS would be massive.”
Young Active Healthy is split into five delivery themes: Active Schools and Early Years Providers, Active Sixth Forms, Further and Higher Education, Active Families and Communities, Active Travel, and Active Workforce. Put simply, young people need to be supported to be active at school, at home, and in the community, choose active travel such as walking and cycling wherever possible, and be guided by peers, parents, carers, volunteers and the professional workforce.
According to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidelines, once able to walk children under five should be physically active every day for at least 180 minutes, spread throughout the day. All five to 17 year olds should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes and up to several hours every day, and for 18 to 25 year olds this figure is at least 150 minutes per week, in bouts of ten minutes or more.
