In communities across the UK, the scale of the children’s mental health crisis is becoming impossible to ignore. In England today, one in five children and young people aged eight to 25 are living with a probable mental health disorder, according to NHS England’s national survey.
That figure marks a sharp rise from 2017, when data was closer to one in nine, evidence of how rapidly need has grown in less than a decade.
Behind every statistic is a story and in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes, Northampton Saints Foundation is working to change those stories before they become tragedies. At the heart of its mission is a simple belief: healing starts the moment someone feels truly heard.
The foundation uses the power of sport and the values of rugby to empower young minds and enrich lives across generations via programmes.
Programmes include education lessons that build resilience and life skills within schools and alternative provisions, social inclusion hubs for students struggling within the school environment, employability programmes offering qualifications, work experience and personal development, initiatives within UK prisons to reduce reoffending, and a monthly memory cafe.
The foundation’s work felt especially relevant last month, which included Children’s Mental Health Week across the UK. This year’s theme, ‘This Is My Place,’ focused on helping young people feel safe, welcome and like they belong.
It’s a message that resonates with those involved in the foundation’s work, because long before crisis hits, belonging matters. Feeling seen matters. Feeling safe enough to speak matters.
Dawn Bere, the Foundation’s Youth Counsellor, Wellbeing and Safeguarding Lead, said: “The foundation creates spaces where young people feel they have somewhere to turn, somewhere to be heard, and somewhere they truly belong. We don’t just help young people, we help families, friends, and communities navigate challenges before they become crises.”
Demand for mental health care has surged in recent years, with around 511,000 children and young people recorded as being in contact with NHS mental health services in recent national data, highlighting the scale of pressure across the system.
Against that backdrop, grassroots organisations and club foundations are stepping into the gaps, offering early support where systems are stretched and waiting lists are long.
As part of a new initiative the foundation has also launched a new programme in partnership with Maddy’s Mark and Northampton Saints Club’s Community team, bringing together rugby sessions and mental health education for girls in schools across Northamptonshire. The project consists of 12 hours’ delivery in each school over a six-week period, with the aim of the pilot to reach 200 girls aged 10 to 13 across several schools. The six weekly sessions comprise both rugby training, led by qualified community coaches, and classroom sessions on mental health led by expert educators from the foundation.
Dawn added: “Support today breaks the cycle for the next generation. The foundation identifies those in need, offers personalised support, and equips them with tools to thrive.”
The idea behind This Is My Place runs throughout the foundation’s ethos creating environments where young people feel they belong and using the voice of the child to help shape their strategy.
Whether through volunteering, fundraising, or partnering with the foundation, everyone has a role to play. Supporting Northampton Saints Foundation means helping someone feel heard, seen, and valued because healing starts the minute someone feels heard.
“We can only do this together,” said Dawn. “The support of our community ensures that we can reach more young people, families, and older adults and that every life we touch has the opportunity to thrive.”
To find out more email admin@northamptonsaintsfoundation.org or visit the Northampton Saints Foundation website.
