youth wellbeing

Youth Wellbeing - Our Aims

In the UK one in six children aged five to 16 were identified as having a probable mental health problem in July 2020, a huge increase from one in nine in 2017, and 50% of children experience at least one form of trauma.

A lot of this is preventable, or repairable. We want to be part of that.

Here at LDM we want to support our youths to become their best, both on and off the court, and part of our commitment to that is to become a Trauma Informed Sports Organisation. (see below for more on what that means).

 As we learn more about what disrupts a child’s healthy development, and what repairs any disruption, we can apply that to the way we work; the good news is that most of that is also what has been proven to improve game performance for everyone, even those that haven’t experienced trauma, and will ensure no child is left out.

As we learn better, we use that to do better.

We can help our brains develop healthily, and repair, through safe relationships combined with physical activity, routine and skills building – which basketball is perfectly suited to do. Done correctly this can help everyone increase their capacity to cope with stress, provide healthy developmental experiences and improve performance, as well as minimising and preventing the harm done by trauma.

This provides more than just the benefit of being active.

Why we are becoming trauma informed

Sadly as our understanding of what has a traumatic effect on a child’s development grows we are realising that more than half of children are experiencing this, and without at least one safe adult to support them the damage will continue into adulthood. These are the children we historically labelled as problem children when we now understand they were trying to survive the best they can, and using a different approach is much more effective at helping them change.

We know that trauma physically disrupts a child’s development, including the brain, as well as causing emotional damage, and because of this it is not something that can just be ‘got over’ without the right support (which doesn’t need to be therapy). We are also better aware of what can make the damage worse and can avoid that.

Becoming trauma informed is using this knowledge to help us improve the way we work with young people to give them the best chance of thriving in life.

It is not trauma therapy, and we do not ask about trauma. We just adapt how we work to provide the best environment for our youths to grow in.

Please feel free to ask any questions; we have added some resources below:

Support services within Leeds:

MindMate – this website lists all support services for young people in Leeds, and has a lot of online advise and information.

The Market Place: What we offer - this is a specific counselling service for young people

Other places for support:

YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

Headspace x NBA – resources designed for NBA/WNBA players, 30 day free trial

Maintaining positive mental health by English Institute of Sport

Raising Awareness For Positive Mental Health In Sport | Sporting Wellness – for 16yr +

Calm zone | Childline online resources & activities

Becoming Trauma Informed is part of Leeds Mental Health Strategy.

Within British Basketball there has been a mental health charter created and we are supporting this, see more here

Meet our Youth Wellbeing Officer:

As well as a love of basketball Kathryn has worked within addictions, mental health, homelessness, criminal justice and community development for the last 20years, and now delivers training in Trauma Informed Care. She is excited to combine the 2 as she believes basketball is a great, underused, way to influence healing for both individuals and communities, and tackle inequalities. You can contact her on kathryn.hodgson@letsdomore.org.uk