Youth Sport Trust manifesto launched

At present too many children are inactive, creating a generation that is unhappier, unhealthier and more distracted than previous generations. This is a crisis and demands an urgent response.

Our manifesto – developed with contributions from children and young people, teachers and school leaders, and representatives from youth, health and wellbeing, physical activity and sport organisations – puts forward proposals to initiate the systemic change needed to transform lives.

At present, fewer than half (47%) of children are meeting the UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines for being physically active.

A young person who is physically active on a regular basis will have better mental health, physical health and social wellbeing – however at present, too many children are missing out.

Our manifesto calls for a new, long-term joined-up national plan guaranteeing every child access to 60 minutes a day of PE, sport and play by creating a nation of active and well schools.

Underpinned by investment and supported by a campaign to raise awareness of recommended activity levels, this plan should:

• Resource a dedicated coordination and delivery team working across a family of schools in every community
• Introduce a new national wellbeing measurement for children, to track progress and target interventions
• Protect and increase spaces for play and physical activity in every locality, and provide co-curricular sport for all children
• Reimagine Physical Education, making it a core subject developing physically literate children, healthy learners and active citizens
• Formalise existing youth sport leadership opportunities into a national young sport volunteers programme delivering year-round social action.

We are calling on the next government to prioritise the transition to this model by starting in the most disadvantaged areas first, demonstrating the impact and generating learning to inform national implementation.

Our passionate belief is that by embedding opportunities to be active in every child’s daily life, we can develop young people who are happier, healthier and ready to learn.

The full manifesto can be found here.