We know that connecting virtually does not take the place of face-to-face contact. Playing team sport and making new friends are beneficial to the wellbeing of young people. Sport helps many disabled young people improve motor skills and cognitive development which contribute positively to many aspects of daily living. These are time critical and a period of loss of activity and learning in early life is hard to regain.

Our participants value the friendships they have made – those who would not otherwise regularly meet and get to know each other, often interact across age groups, genders, a range of abilities and disabilities, cultural and ethnic groups. For many, meeting like-minded young people is the reason they turn up. During lockdown this has been lost and, in some minds, stopped all together.

Many disadvantaged and disabled young people have less space (particularly outdoor space) and few economic advantages. Loneliness and deteriorating mental health for young people has been a legacy of the isolation caused by COVID as they have been denied the chance to feel part of something positive through our programmes.

Many participants have told us they longed to get back to socialise with their friends, play sport and learn new skills. But our bigger concern is those who tell us nothing.

Many participants have been deprived of the opportunity to practice the leadership skills they are developing. However, some have still taken a lead in online activity, supporting peers and others in their community.

Disability cricket is one of the few opportunities many participants living with disabilities have to take part in real peer group competition, with tournaments hard fought and valued because they feel the playing field is level. 

We don’t know the impact the absence of our programmes on our particularly hard to reach groups such as disabled young people, refugees, young carers, young offenders and excluded pupils yet. It is also too early for us to know the impact on such issues as crime, antisocial behaviour and social cohesion. 

The challenge we now have is charging the projects with new energy to re-engage young people and ensure they feel they matter. The sessions need to provide a beacon of opportunity for them within their communities and add value, and fun to their lives, which will have inevitably changed. Critically post-lockdown, upskilling, learning and leadership will need to come to the fore. 

“Almost a third of children (2.3million) were classed as inactive as a result of lockdown restrictions.”
Sport England

“9/10 families said the coronavirus outbreak had negatively affected their disabled or seriously ill children’s health and wellbeing.”
Charity Family Fund