**Special Update**
Our schools programme saw the least disruption to delivery during Covid. In fact, it was only during the first lockdown that we did no delivery at all. After this, where normal delivery wasn't possible, our staff either delivered to children online via the school's online learning system or face to face when the most vulnerable pupils still attended.
Our schools programme has never been more in demand than now and we asked our newly promoted National Schools Manager why.
It's a one to three-year programme that helps children who are disengaged from school realise their potential and change the way they think and behave. This is a three-year journey in which pupils aged between 12 and 16 are introduced to the game of rugby and its values.
SOHK Schools is a 3 year rugby and life development programme that is healthy, fun, challenging and enriching. Our coaches, with support from our behavioural specialists, mentor and develop these young people through rugby, every school week, for up to three years.
realise their own potential and prepare for life beyond school
improve their physical health and mental wellbeing
Improve school attendance and behaviour
Grow to understand and exemplify SOHK values
The opportunity to learn a new sport
The opportunity to be part of a team
Students being able to earn SOHK kit
Students being able to earn reward days away from school
SOHK Schools programme has shown a monumental growth from the previous academic year with us working with 567 beneficiaries across 17 schools to nearly 1,200 beneficiaries across 32 schools in England, Scotland & Wales. With the recent ‘lockdowns’ and schools’ closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, young people have been under immense pressure. Large periods of isolation have resulted in an increase in mental health issues, obesity and deprivation. This has caused increased demand on the already limited mental health services for young people.
This means now more than ever the SOHK Schools programme is needed to offer valuable help to support the young people we work with allowing them to realise their potential. The impact of covid-19 and lockdowns on young people has been reflected in the increased number of schools that have reached out to find out more about our programme; an increased number of schools committing to work with us this academic year and an increased number of cohorts in existing partnership schools.
The growth has meant that the SOHK Schools team has grown in size, with a number of new staff members being employed to strengthen and maintain our front line delivery. Each region has also had a manager put in place to ensure our high delivery standards are maintained. I’m delighted to have been promoted to National Schools Manager to ensure that delivery across all regions is consistent, parallel and our mission and values remain at the forefront of our delivery.
With the introduction of new staff to the SOHK schools team, we have been able to increase the number of staff in each school to 4. The schools will have the increased support of a Schools Coordinator, Behavioural Specialist, Schools Facilitator and Rugby Coach.
During the pandemic each of our schools teams were able to gain access to their schools online learning platforms, this allowed us to deliver remotely during the ‘lockdown’. We have been able to continue to use this platform to update students of any relevant information and some additional resources around some of the sessions on our programme.
