Sport & Physical Activity – It’s Role in Public Health.

2. Sport & Physical Activity – It’s Role in Public Health. How participation in sport & activity can reduce alcohol intake & assist with smoking cessation Facilitators: Gemma Foley Mark Bennett HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

3. Who are we? and what do we do? • Mark Bennett - Reparation officer for Hertfordshire Youth Justice. Qualified Rugby Coach, Qualified Boxercise Instructor. • Gemma Foley – Forensic Adolescent Practitioner, Camhs worker for Hertfordshire Youth Justice. Qualified Level 2 Exercise to Music Instructor. HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

4. Why Run a Health and Well Being Group for Young Offenders in Herts? HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

5. Identifying a need • Asset (assessment tool used in Youth Justice) identified high areas of need and risk under the following areas: • Drugs and alcohol – high rates of alcohol, drug use and smoking tobacco amongst young offenders in Hertfordshire – Area of Watford and Three Rivers • Physical health – high proportion of young offenders smoking tobacco. • Emotional and Mental Health - High rates of emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

6. Reasons to carry out a health and well being group • Facilitators have skills, qualifications and a specialist interest in the area of sport and exercise. • It was felt that a more practical approach to health promotion would improve levels of engagement and positive outcomes for long term change in this client group. • Lots of research highlighting benefits of exercise for both physical and emotional wellbeing. HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

7. Research Evidence: • The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report dated 17th June 2011. Study involved 5,700 Teenagers. • “Young people are more likely to drink alcohol if they have little positive activity in their lives” • “ physical activity made young people more self aware, proud of there physical health, take responsibility for their health and built their self confidence and body image. This made it less likely for them to engage in binge drinking behaviour” HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

8. Research Evidence: • The Guardian Newspaper (2008) Study by Positive Futures Project. • “almost half of teenagers questioned in the study said they thought more sports and leisure activities were the way to divert young people from alcohol” • Psychology of Sport & Exercise May (2009) Vol 10 (3) 381-389 • “Children who spent time in sports had higher self esteem scores then those who did not. In summary Exercise is a means to promote self worth & other important physical self perceptions like body image” HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

9. Aims of the Group • To Educate and inform the group members of the long term and short term health implications of using alcohol and drugs (inclusive of smoking Tobacco) • To highlight the benefits of exercise on both physical and mental wellbeing and provide group members with opportunities to experience engagement in some form of physical activity. • To encourage young people to consider using exercise as a coping strategy to manage stress rather then using other maladaptive strategies ie alcohol, drugs and smoking. • Overall Aim: To increase Young peoples awareness about how to improve and maintain there health and well being. HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

10. Client group: YOT cases (male only) Pilot Group Age: 14-17 Duration: 2.5 hours Location: Community resources in Watford and Three Rivers District. Session 1: - Introduction to group / Aims and rules of the group. Circuits Session 2: - Smoking cessation. Badminton/Table Tennis. Session 3: - Drugs and alcohol. Boxing. Session 4:- Nutrition. Football Session 5 – Benefits of exercise on Physical and Emotional Health. Circuits Structure of the group HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

11. Use of the Rosenberg Self esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) • Used to assess participants levels of self esteem pre and post exercise. • Tool used for every session with each participant to ascertain longer term gains and to encourage them to reflect on how they feel following engagement in physical activity. HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

12. Self Esteem Outcome Measures: HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

13. Self Esteem Outcome Measures HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

14. Self Esteem Outcome Measures HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

15. Discussions & Debates Space to Reflect Use of monitoring Systems: Re: Self esteem, BP & Pulse. Quiz Obstacle course using beer goggles. Drug box Tar jar and phlegm jar Money and health wheels Other Interventions used alongside Exercise HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

16. Positive Statements!!! • Here are some statements made by young people that indicate contemplation to change!. I might join the boxing club again I could save how much? Can cannabis really effect your sperm count!!!! Smoking makes your fingers go yellow! I am not as fit as I thought!! HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

17. Analysis of Graphs/ Future Questions? • Is there a significant difference in the impact of exercise on self esteem depending on intensity? • Is there a difference between the impact of exercise on self esteem depending on duration of activity? HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

18. Development of Group. • To progress group across the county. • To utilise group across both Genders ( Pilot only used with Male clients). • To continue collecting Evidence using Rosenberg Self Esteem Questionnaire and other outcome measure tools i.e. carbon dioxide measures, BP and pulse readings. • Opportunity to gain AQA Qualifications HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

19. Future Considerations/ Potential Limitations: • How to implement longer term use of exercise after group is finished? • Affordability • Accessibility of services • Sustainability (Motivation to maintain by the young people) HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE

20. Questions!!!! HERTFORDSHIRE YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICE