Successful Kent-wide Scheme Sees Young People Reconnect with Activities and Sport 

Your Leisure, thanks to funding through Kent County Council’s Reconnect scheme, welcomed hundreds of young people into its centres this summer, with over 50% of participants visiting for the first time. KCC’s Reconnect funding allowed Your Leisure to create unique opportunities for young people to participate in activities and sport through subsidised summer camps and leisure centre passes.  

Sarah Johnson, Community & Funding Manager, at Your Leisure, said; “This is the second summer we have worked with KCC to deliver Reconnect funded activities. At its core was the spirit of inclusivity and opportunity, we wanted to make sure no matter their background or circumstances, as many young people within our communities could take part. Your Leisure ran swimming, tennis and gymnastics summer camps, which were free to eligible young people, and offered a discounted summer leisure pass so young people could be active, engage with their health, spend time with their friends in a structured and safe environment, and, most importantly, thanks to the funding, experience a range of activities and sport they may normally not get to enjoy; for some participants, they were able to enjoy their first swimming lessons.”  

“The feedback received from parents/guardians/carers highlighted how funded schemes like Reconnect create vital opportunities for families who may struggle to find ways to, or afford, keep young people active during the school holidays. Your Leisure is proud of its delivery of funded initiatives that allow us to run courses and events for young people, the over 55s, disabled people and marginalised groups.” 

Here are some highlights from Your Leisure’s feedback survey which confirms the positive outcomes of Reconnect: 

“The free-swimming lessons were amazing! We would not have been able to afford these otherwise.” 

“Gave my autistic daughter a massive boost in confidence and learnt new skills that she wants to continue developing.” 

“The staff at reconnect and the leisure centre have been kind and helpful and do their job well. My son has more confidence, and it has made him want to be more active.” 

“All 4 of my children have made some progress with their swimming abilities. Thank you so much for the opportunity.” 

Your Leisure would like to thank Kent County Council for their funding and support, and all the hard work of the teams at the leisure centres, that ensured the Reconnect scheme was a success and created much-needed opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to participate in activities and sports. 

Watch the Reconnect testimonial video below...

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Thanks to funding from Kent County Council for this summer's Reconnect programme, Your Leisure was able to offer free course memberships from each of our summer camps to children that took part this summer. All the children who took part in the holiday sessions were entered into a draw.  We are pleased to announce the following winners:

Some of the winners provided their happy reactions.

"Theo and Chloe were thrilled to learn they had won the tennis lessons for a year. They enjoyed the reconnect course immensely and are now looking forward to improving their skills in their upcoming sessions."

"Living by the sea, I think it is important that children learn to swim. My son is enjoying his lessons and has already progressed to the next stage. We feel truly grateful to have had this amazing opportunity."

About Reconnect: 

The Reconnect scheme was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to combat the issues faced by children and young people, but it became more than that. Beyond the commissioned activity and support, Reconnect has promoted an approach to partnership working with the voluntary and community sector that will last far beyond the end of the programme. It has shown that a joined-up approach with services and community organisations can extend the reach of the support available to the children and young people in Kent.