Continuing with our Children’s Community Support Programme, one of the organisations we accepted into the programme are Sonshine Club. Specifically, our donation is going towards the weekly football sessions they arrange, which are very popular amongst children in their community.
Sonshine club focuses its projects in Hackney and Haringey. They aim to improve the wellbeing, health and education of children in their area through various activity groups. One of these activities are their football sessions, which they run every week. Our donation to these sessions will be hugely important to the continuation of the programme, which represents an integral part of the children’s week.
Every Friday, two groups of disadvantaged 10-13-year-old boys will meet with an experienced football coach to have some fun in Springfield Park, for an hour session. The group has a real mix of differing backgrounds, with some of the boys having mild to moderate disabilities including issues with motor abilities. The rest of the group is made up of boys from disadvantaged backgrounds who deal with the effects of poor housing and poverty. All the children who attend greatly value the opportunity to interact with each other and make new friends.
While attending these sessions is huge fun and is undoubtedly one of the reasons the children take part, they also provide some major added benefits. Firstly, they allow the opportunity for the children to be kept active every week, permitting these children to be physically healthier which is proven to have huge benefits on mental wellbeing. Plus, by playing a team sport they learn essential social skills, in communicating with each other, and learning from the experienced coaches.
The club also encourages other boys of a similar age to join in. They have seen real success in mixing the children’s backgrounds for the children. Mainstream children learn patience, acceptance and are encouraged to be good role models. While, those with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds increase their independence, resilience, self-confidence and social integration. All the children learn from each other creating friendships and a positive team spirit. Over time, the coaches have certainly noticed increased independence and resilience amongst the children, whilst seeing them establish new friendships. Not only that, but the children too have made great progress in their playing skills, health and wellbeing.
The donation from Little Lives UK is vital in guaranteeing that throughout the summer months the children can continue to meet every Friday and play safely, have fun and achieve new goals, while learning from the experienced coaches.
If you would like to be in with a chance of receiving a donation as part of our ‘Children’s Community Support Programme’, then click here to apply.
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