Headstart programme helping young lives make a positive school transition in Wigan

The Headstart programme, supported by Mental Health Transformation Officers at several Club Community Organisations in the North West of England, has helped more than a thousand pupils making the transition from primary to secondary schools with their mental health.

Some of the young participants from Bolton and Wigan took part in a series of workshops and sporting activities to celebrate their involvement.

Trafford Grimes, Wigan Athletic Community Trust’s Mental Health Transformation Officer, said: “It's important that we run events like this for our students that are working hard within our projects.

“Physical and mental health are closely-related, and good mental health can positively affect physical health, so it’s been great to do this event with the support of Bolton Wanderers in the Community to celebrate the programme.”

Year 7 pupil Lara, who started working with Trafford due to having challenges with anxiety, said the sessions have ‘raised her confidence’.

“The sessions are good because we can just be ourselves, we have someone who can listen to us and the group sessions are fun because we can all be together in one safe space,” said Lara.

“My anxiety is 100% better than it was.”

Both EFL Club Community Organisations (CCOs) came on board with the Headstart programme thanks to funding and support from NHS Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Moving and local authorities; Wigan Council and Bolton Council.

Several other CCOs in Lancashire run the programme – thanks to support from the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity – all of whom aim to reduce strain on the NHS by targeting those children currently accessing or are at risk of needing to access children’s mental health services.

Debbie Cook, EFL’s Director of Community said: “EFL Club Community Organisations are well engaged within schools across their communities, and we’ve seen some wonderful and impactful examples of young people benefitting with their mental health when preparing for secondary school via the Headstart programme.”

Oliver Pratt, Bolton Wanderers in the Community’s Mental Health Transformation Officer, added: “We support the pupils through Years 6 and 7, and we hope that with the classroom sessions and one-to-one support we provide, they have the skills when going to secondary school that can enable them to further thrive.”