Beyond the screen

I’ve never heard anyone say “I wish my child had more screen time”.

But a clip from BBC Breakfast over the summer provided an interesting insight about what time in front of a screen can mean to some children and young people.

On the clip, we heard a girl respond to what she would do with the nine hours she typically spends online over a weekend if proposed social media restrictions for under-16s came into force.

Her answer was bold, unequivocal and somehow devastating: "…stare at a wall."

It was a funny moment, but it also pointed to something deeper.

The Youth Matters: State of the Nation survey gathered insights from more than 14,000 young people aged 11-25 and it paints a concerning picture.

The study highlights that despite being the most digitally connected generation ever, many young people are experiencing loneliness, poor wellbeing and social disconnection.

Yet their message about what would improve their lives is clear: access to safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and more opportunities to take part in activities that help them connect, develop and belong.

This is why last week’s government announcement on enrichment deserves attention, as there’s a growing recognition of the role enrichment can play in supporting young people's wellbeing, development and life chances.

What do we mean by ‘enrichment’?

Enrichment refers to activities and experiences beyond the formal curriculum.

‘Sport and physical activity’ is recognised as one of five core enrichment categories, alongside arts and culture, civic engagement, nature and outdoor learning, and wider life and future skills.

At its best, enrichment does far more than keeping children and young people occupied.

It helps them discover interests, build confidence, develop relationships and gain skills that support them throughout life.

For many young people, particularly those facing disadvantage, these opportunities can be transformational.

Importantly, enrichment is increasingly being recognised not as an optional extra, but as a key part of supporting children and young people's development and wellbeing.

A new enrichment framework

In June, the Department for Education published the enrichment framework for schools and colleges, which provides schools with non-statutory guidance on creating high-quality enrichment offers.

Built around eight benchmarks, the framework reflects principles that many across the youth, education and sport sectors have long championed, including:

• designing opportunities around young people's needs, interests and voices
• making activities accessible, inclusive and enjoyable for all
• supporting participation among those facing the greatest barriers
• building strong partnerships between schools and community organisations
• understanding the impact of enrichment on wellbeing, engagement and personal development.

The Enrichment Expansion programme

Alongside the framework, the government has recently announced the Enrichment Expansion programme, backed by £22.5m and delivered via a cross-sector partnership led by the Youth Sport Trust.

The programme will support around 400 secondary schools to strengthen and co-ordinate their enrichment offer, with a particular focus on developing partnerships with local providers and community organisations.

A broader national commitment

The Enrichment Expansion programme sits within a wider package of investment designed to improve opportunities for children and young people.

This includes Every Child Can, a £132.5 million programme funded through dormant assets that will support enrichment opportunities across England, which includes after school, at weekends and during school holidays.

These developments align with the ambition within the National Youth Strategy to halve the participation gap in enrichment activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers by 2035.

Alongside wider investment in youth services, facilities and trusted adult relationships, these announcements represent a strong signal that enrichment is moving towards the centre of policy discussions about young people's wellbeing and future prospects.

What does this mean for the sport and physical activity sector?

For those working across sport and physical activity, these announcements are very welcome and recognise that sport is about far more than participation.

High-quality experiences of sport and physical activity can help young people build confidence, develop meaningful social connections, enhance their wellbeing, build valuable life skills, and establish a positive lifelong relationship with movement and physical activity, which we describe as physical literacy.

However, this should not be viewed simply as a challenge to create more opportunities.

The real opportunity is to ensure experiences are meaningful, inclusive, shaped around young people's needs and embedded within the local community.

The strongest enrichment offers will be those that bring together schools, youth services, clubs and community organisations around a shared goal: helping young people feel safe, connected and valued.

If the debate about social media has highlighted anything, it is that simply taking something away is not enough. Young people need compelling alternatives.

A positive experience of being active is something that all young people should have and, if we get it right, perhaps fewer young people will feel that their only alternative to being online is staring at a wall.