The voluntary, community and faith sector: children and youth Key delivery partners towards Health and Wellbeing for All in Oxfordshire

Good quality play and youth provision is essential for our county’s 144,000 children and young people. The voluntary, community and faith (VCF) sector plays a vital role, for example:

Delivering: Positive activities Diversion from crime Holistic support raising educational attainment Mental health services Healthy living Drug and alcohol work Development of play spaces

Supporting: young carers CYP with mental health issues young people in care homelessness teenage pregnancy rural CYP who are isolated young asylum seekers and refugees CYP with substance/alcohol abuse

Play allows children & young people (CYP) to determine and control the content and intent of what they do, following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons. Youth work provides informal education and support for young people. Both are based on a voluntary relationship.

Play/youth provision can provide all CYP with enjoyable opportunities that benefit both physical and mental health in the short and long term. Through this provision CYP can acquire positive life habits, which they might not have otherwise have chosen or experienced. These positive experiences will help CYP to move forward through life better equipped to achieve positive outcomes.

The positive experiences and support that CYP receive enable them to: do better at school be healthier be happier in their lives make successful transition to adulthood as a responsible and caring citizen They are vital ingredients for their health and wellbeing..

Modern life has introduced obstacles to play, such as televisions, computers, traffic, parental fears and fewer open spaces. Outdoor play spaces are improving, but more needs to be done to increase the amount of play in children’s, teenagers’ and families’ everyday lives.

“The flipside of the benefits of play is that there are detrimental consequences for the health and wellbeing of children if they are denied such experiences.” Sturrock et al, ‘Towards Ludogogy’, 2004

Good quality play/youth provision can help address the following Health and Wellbeing priorities: Tackling obesity Improving mental health Keeping all CYP safe Raising achievement for all CYP Increased life chances for disadvantaged groups All CYP have a healthy start and stay healthy

Outdoor provision Play rangers (Qualified playworkers stimulating play in outdoor spaces) Outdoor local play & recreation spaces Outdoor activities

“Letting children go out to play is one of the best things that parents can do for their children’s health.” (University College London, 2004) “Walking and playing provide children with more physical activity than most other activities.” (Making Children’s Lives More Active, 2004)

Provision in communities Play/youth activities in designated settings Street play Community events for CYP Play and recreation in families

“Research highlights that play is essential to allow children the opportunities to practice making friends and consolidating friendships to deal with conflict. These basic skills, which make them ‘emotionally literate’, help increase their resilience to mental health problems.” (Mental Health Foundation, 1999) “The presence of children in streets, parks and squares is a sign of a healthy, cohesive society.” (Tim Gill, Rethinking Childhood)

Play in schools Lunch time play “Free active play at break times has benefits for children to return to work with renewed attention and capacity for cognitive work.” (Play England, 2008)

Play in childcare / early years Breakfast clubs After school clubs Holiday playschemes Childminders Children centres

“High-quality care improves the life chances of all children.” (Daycare Trust 2009)

Working so that CYP are: empowered able to develop social and personal skills able to access advice and support able to access activities have a voice

Supporting play provision There are also VCF sector organisations providing infrastructure services for front-line organisations - essential to underpin their play/youth provision and to ensure that it is inclusive and high quality: Workforce development and training Information and advice Access to resources Opportunities to network

We thrive on partnership working with a wide variety of statutory, voluntary and private agencies - through our own networks and through membership of groups such as: Oxfordshire Stronger Communities Alliance Oxfordshire Play Partnership Oxfordshire Sports Partnership

For further information about voluntary, community & faith sector activity in support of CYP contact: Oxfordshire Play Association Oxfordshire Children and Voluntary Youth Services