Learning from practice

In Alston in Cumbria a Local Network Fund grant to the Alston Moor Fitness Project enabled young people aged 13-19 years to gain access to specially arranged fitness sessions at their local community gym. Alston is a small and fairly remote market town, with no local sports halls or swimming pools.

The establishment of a new gym, run as a community business and owned by its members, provided an opportunity for young people to use the new facilities. Whilst the minimum age for membership of the gym was normally 16, Local Network Fund funding provided additional staff and locally recruited and trained volunteers to offer special sessions run exclusively for junior members aged 13-16 years. Reduced rate gym membership was available to members of the local youth club.

Young people from Alston youth club were involved in planning the project and developed health workshops on nutrition and stress management which ran alongside the fitness sessions.

Example taken from Letting the future in - a celebration of innovative projects for children and young people supported by the DfES administered Local Network Fund, and compiled by Community Links - see www.community-links.org/