Sport and education in a life-changing mix
A Cardiff City community project is helping young people with mental health problems. Education editor Abbie Wightwick looks at how it works
ABOUT to start his second year of sixth form, Alex Davies suffered such a severe bout of anxiety he ended up in crisis, on medication unable to return to an environment he says left him too stressed to learn.
“The full-on atmosphere of school didn’t suit me and I fell ill on holiday abroad with my family in the summer holidays,” he recalls.
“It was the pressure of school and the unknown and I didn’t know what I wanted to do.
“I had such severe anxiety I was put on medication.”
Alex’ worried parents agreed to him leaving Cowbridge Comprehensive aged 17 for Bridgend College, but he found that very stressful too and dropped out again.
The bright teenager had been doing well at Cowbridge where his siblings thrived, but pressure of exams and classroom learning wasn’t right for him, says his dad, Mel, who admits they “clashed” when things went wrong again.
Now 20, Alex says he was thrown a lifeline when he was referred to the Active Bluebirds Project run by Cardiff City FC Community Foundation.
When he joined the scheme, which uses football to help people aged 18 to 25 with mental health problems, he was barely able to speak to or engage with coaches and other young people there.
Soon, through the combination of sport and the connection with the team he loves, the lifelong Cardiff City fan began to recover.
His confidence returned so much that he started making plans for the future, something which had left him frozen with anxiety before.
When Alex learned he could take Btech sport qualifications at Cardiff City FC’s Community Foundation Post 16 Education Programme at the House Sport behind the Bluebirds’ stadium he decided to give it a go.
A year on, he said he is a different person as he picked up his first Btech sport qualifications on a course including sport performance, anatomy, physiology and professional development, among other subjects.
“It’s been life changing. It’s completely different learning here. They treat you like an adult here and you play sport too.”
Alex has also gone from not doing fitness to playing futsal several times a week as well as playing for Cowbridge FC seniors and doing some coaching.
He says being active while he learns has been key to his recovery from mental health problems.
Students on the programme are encouraged to play futsal at the House of Sport at least three times a week, as well as playing competitive games, and most do.
“When I was unwell I didn’t focus on my fitness so coming here and doing futsal helped. There’s more and more evidence that physical activity helps your mental health.
“This has been life changing for me because it’s motivated me and improved my confidence. They treat you like adults here.”
Picking up his Btech level 3 first year results on vocational qualification results day today, Alex, who lives with his family in Graig Penllyn in the Vale of Glamorgan, was celebrating three distinctions, equivalent to three A- level qualifications. He hopes to go on to university in future.
It’s an achievement his father Mel, who works for the Medical Defence Union. says he deserves, but at times feared he’d never get.
“Alex has become stronger and focused and is easier to get along with and it’s great to see him with an idea about his future.
“This gave him the break he deserved. School was bad for him. The school he went to isn’t a bad school, Cowbridge Comprehensive is a really good school and my other two children have done really well there and enjoyed it, but it wasn’t right for Alex.
“The environment here is an absolutely perfect fit for him. School isn’t right for everybody.
“When I drop him off he’s really enthusiastic to be here. We have no problems getting him out of bed now. It’s improved his confidence and he’s made friends here.”
Alex was among 95 students on the CCFC programme picking up Btech results today.
Among others was Tyler Keane, 18, from Cardiff, who achieved the highest results in the group with a triple distinction in Btech level three sports, the highest grades possible.
He now hopes to go to university to study sports psychology.
Head of education at the Foundation, Geraint Wadley said: “Cardiff City FC Community Foundation’s Post 16 Education Programme is a unique place to study. We provide an inclusive environment and work closely with our students to understand their needs to help them develop and progress beyond the determined outcomes of the programme.
“It’s fantastic to see that the support our tutors and coaches have provided has helped so many of our students take the next step to achieving their full potential, but most of all it’s down the determination and hard work of our students.”