Publish date: 30 November 2022
“The group is really enjoyable and filled with fun activities” – Child from the Siblings Group, at St Quintin’s Centre for Disabled Children
A North Kensington children’s centre has praised resilience training for children, co delivered by QPR and the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service.
Caroline Baker, the Siblings Group Leader from St Quintin’s Centre, said the children gained a lot from the Team of Life training, which uses football metaphors to build group resilience.
The six children, who make up the Siblings’ Group from St Quintin’s Centre, took part in a session with the football Trust and NHS, as a follow-up to a two-day workshop in October last year.
They returned to the football pitch, to take part in activities and a reflective discussion on what they learnt from Team of Life, drawing parallels from the roles in football teams to their own lives.
Caroline said: “Thank you from our Siblings Group for leading us, along with Farah in The Team of Life programme - we picked activities after the 2021 October half term programme days, and over the next year worked on the analogy of the Football Team having strong parallels with our own lives. I believe the young people and children who participated in the activities got a lot from recognising that support they can access in their lives.”
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Caroline described the programme as a “great partnership with QPR and Grenfell, I do trust it will grow and grow - so many mutual benefits I believe.”
All the children who took part said the group was fun, helpful and that they found the group leaders engaging.
“They pass to each other and help others when their team mate is hurt or in pain!” said one child who took part.
When we asked what they liked about the group, another child said, “That we are all kind and look out for each other.”
At the end of the group, the children got to attend a live football match at the stadium, to see QPR play against Wigan.
What is Team of Life?
Team of Life is a way of supporting young people, using football metaphors to build strength and resilience within a group environment. The young people identified their ‘team mates’ who are the people who support them in their life; ‘goal keepers’ the people who protect their goals, ‘coach’ the person who helps build on their strengths and many more different roles that are part of their lives.
QPR Coach Pablo Blackwood said “The opportunity to come to a match to see how everyone plays their part encapsulates what Team of Life is all about. This partnership hopefully will continue and grow, it’s great to support such a wonderful group like your Siblings Group.”
Farah Amaioua, CAMHS Therapist with the GHWS said:
“QPR were very accommodating on this day and had offered the group tickets to watch QPR vs Wigan game on this day too. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves from start to finish and really made the most out of the Team of Life programme by connecting narrative ideas back to a real-life football pitch! The group really had a wonderful time and the parents reported that they were very grateful for the all the work that was put into making Saturday really special for the children.”
We can offer brief taster Team of Life sessions to schools or 1 hour/1.5 hour weekly sessions over a ten week period. If your school or community group is interested in a taster session please get in touch.
For more information please email grenfell.wellbeingservice@nhs.net