The English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) is teaming up with Sport in Mind to support Schools’ Football Week 2023.
Sport In Mind are the UK charity that transforms the lives and mental health of children and adults through sport and physical activity. Sport in Mind’s innovative programmes are delivered in partnership with the NHS and are co-designed by people with personal experience of mental health problems and healthcare professionals.
Schools’ Football Week 2023, in partnership with Pro:Direct, which takes place from the 6th – 12th February, lands the same week as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (CMHAW). The theme for this year’s CMHAW is “Let’s Connect” and it explores the ways in which meaningful connections that children make, can support their mental health. Football is a fantastic example of how children can make long-lasting and meaningful connections and friendships and therefore aligns perfectly with the ESFA’s Schools’ Football Week activity.
The ESFA has teamed up with Sport in Mind to promote their Youth Programme, to provide additional resources for teachers during Schools’ Football Week. The programme is designed to reach as many young people as possible, to raise the awareness of the benefits of being active have on their mental health. For SFW 2023, the Charity are sharing their KS3 an KS4 PSHE lesson plans and framework as a free download for teachers to utilise as part of the campaign.
All schools that register their activity for Schools’ Football Week will receive a code to access these resources for free, providing another tool for them to help introduce schools’ football into the classroom as part of the week-long campaign in February.
Stuart Botham, ESFA Chair said, “I am so pleased to see the connection that’s being created by the ESFA and Sport in Mind, a charity I chose as my “Chair’s Charity” for the 2022/23 season. It has been proven time and time again that sport – football included – is a fantastic boost to the mental health of both children and adults and for the English Schools’ FA to be able to join forces with Sport in Mind to promote their resources throughout Schools’ Football Week is a valuable asset to the campaign. I hope that all schools that receive these free resources this February find that they are able to use them within school, to strengthen the messages shared for Schools’ Football Week 2023 and beyond.”
Kayleigh Harris, Head of Services (South East) at Sport in Mind said, “Sport in Mind are thrilled to be working in partnership with the English Schools’ FA to get more young people moving for their mental health and enhance understanding about the benefits of being active on one’s mental health. As a charity, we have supported and educated thousands of people get active for their mental health over the last decade and we hope our exciting new partnership with the English Schools’ FA will play a crucial role in transforming the lives of thousands of more young people nationally in 2023 and beyond. “
The ESFA is delighted to be able to positively promote Schools’ Football Week and simultaneously support the importance of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, thanks to Sport in Mind, in 2023. Click the link below to find out more about Sport in Mind’s SFW resources –
