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Headstart programme helping young lives make a positive school transition

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Two Greater Manchester EFL Club Community Organisations joined forces to reward children who have taken part in a school mental health programme.

Wigan Athletic Community Trust and Bolton Wanderers in the Community – charitable arms of their EFL Football Clubs – invited dozens of children who have benefitted from the EFL Trust’s Headstart programme to a celebration event at the Brick Community Stadium.

The Headstart programme, supported by Mental Health Transformation Officers at several Club Community Organisations in the North West of England, has helped more than a thousand pupils making the transition from primary to secondary schools with their mental health.

Some of the young participants from Bolton and Wigan took part in a series of workshops and sporting activities to celebrate their involvement.

Trafford Grimes, Wigan Athletic Community Trust’s Mental Health Transformation Officer, said: “It’s important that we run events like this for our students that are working hard within our projects. 

“Physical and mental health are closely-related, and good mental health can positively affect physical health, so it’s been great to do this event with the support of Bolton Wanderers in the Community to celebrate the programme.” 

Year 7 pupil Lara, who started working with Trafford due to having challenges with anxiety, said the sessions have ‘raised her confidence’. 

“The sessions are good because we can just be ourselves, we have someone who can listen to us and the group sessions are fun because we can all be together in one safe space,” said Lara. 

“My anxiety is 100% better than it was.” 

Both EFL Club Community Organisations (CCOs) came on board with the Headstart programme thanks to funding and support from NHS Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Moving and local authorities; Wigan Council and Bolton Council.

Several other CCOs in Lancashire run the programme – thanks to support from the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity – all of whom aim to reduce strain on the NHS by targeting those children currently accessing or are at risk of needing to access children’s mental health services.

Debbie Cook, EFL’s Director of Community said: “EFL Club Community Organisations are well engaged within schools across their communities, and we’ve seen some wonderful and impactful examples of young people benefitting with their mental health when preparing for secondary school via the Headstart programme.” 

Oliver Pratt, Bolton Wanderers in the Community’s Mental Health Transformation Officer, added: “We support the pupils through Years 6 and 7, and we hope that with the classroom sessions and one-to-one support we provide, they have the skills when going to secondary school that can enable them to further thrive.”

Headstart makes expansive headway in North West

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Thousands of Year 6 pupils across the North West of England, making the transition into secondary school, will benefit from a mental health programme involving several EFL Club Community Organisations (CCOs).

Since 2022, the EFL Trust and four CCOs have supported dozens of schools and hundreds of pupils across Lancashire and South Cumbria via a pilot project called Headstart, thanks to funding from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity after successfully applying for an NHS Charities Together Grant.

The EFL charitable arm is delighted to announce, during Mental Health Awareness Week (15th – 21st May), the programme – which has supported almost a thousand pupils since it began – will be delivered by a further seven charities.

The CCOs will work in schools, providing one to one or group support, in either a classroom environment or delivering sessions, like yoga and mindfulness.

Fleetwood Town Community Trust, Preston North End Community and Education Trust, Morecambe FC Community Sports and Accrington Stanley Community Trust each have a Mental Health Transformation Officer, all of whom aim to reduce strain on the NHS by targeting those children currently accessing or are at risk of needing to access children’s mental health services.

Blackpool FC Community Trust, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust and Burnley FC In The Community have joined the Lancashire cohort of CCOs delivering the programme.

In addition, Bolton Wanderers In The Community, Foundation 92, Rochdale AFC Community Trust and Wigan Athletic Community Trust have come on board thanks to funding and support from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, GreaterSport and local authorities; Trafford Council, Wigan Council and Bolton Council.

In 2020, one in six (16.0%) children aged 5 to 16 years were identified as having a probable mental disorder, increasing from one in nine (10.8%) in 2017.

Adrian Bradley, Head of Health & Wellbeing at the EFL Trust said:

“Our Club Community Organisations are well connected within schools across their communities, and we’ve seen some wonderful and impactful examples during our pilot year of delivering the programme.

“We’re delighted that we’ve received further funding for more Club Community Organisations to deliver this programme across Lancashire and Greater Manchester, and reach and support as many children as possible, making that milestone transition in their lives from primary to secondary school.”

Caption: ITV Football visited Larkholme Primary School in Fleetwood to witness EFL Trust Headstart Programme delivered Fleetwood Town Community Trust.