What do the GAME sessions cost?
We are very lucky that the GAME sessions are being funded by the Sport England Together Fund. This means that the sessions are free for those attending.
Will you tell my child’s school or health professional about their attendance at GAME?
We would encourage families to have those conversations themselves, so that anyone providing medical or mental health support was aware of all the different ways that your child may be accessing support. We will not be contacting schools or health professionals for every child attending, or at every session. Where there could be benefit to us communicating with others externally, we would ask for your permission first, and still encourage those conversations to be led by yourself and your child. Safeguarding would be the only reason for possibly sharing of information without informing the family first, in line with our safeguarding policies.
Do you have policies for safeguarding and health & safety?
GAME sessions will be run by appropriately trained and qualified team members, who have experience with working with children and young people. Gym inductions will be carried out by team members with relevant fitness instructing qualifications.
DBS checks are carried out on all team members.
We will be following Magna Vitae’s health & safety and safeguarding policies as relevant to the sessions. Copies of these policies can be requested to view.
We also have a policy specific to GAME related safety topics.
Can I attend with my child to GAME sessions?
Parents and guardians are welcome to drop off and collect their child. We can arrange where requested for yourself and your child to meet the team and have a tour of the venue. We can work with parents and guardians to help their child to settle into the GAME sessions. As there are other young people attending, and in line with our safeguarding policies, any requests extending beyond dropping off would be on a case-by-case basis. The sessions are designed to help the young to take an independent approach to choosing how to stay active and to socialise.
What does a young person need to bring with them to GAME?
A young person will need to bring a water bottle with them. If they will be choosing to go swimming, they will need an appropriate swimming outfit, a towel and a one pound coin for the lockers. They should be wearing comfortable clothes, suitable for being active, with trainers.
Every young person should also bring with them any medications needed in an emergency, such as inhalers, or any medications that are due to be taken at the times they are within the GAME sessions.
What happens during the GAME sessions?
At each GAME session, the young people will meet in a designated area of the venue and sign in. They will be given a choice of going to swim, use the gym, or take part in an instructed, group physical activity. The physical activity offered can change at each session. The physical activity will last one hour. For the remaining time, the young people will meet back up again afterwards, to be able to socialise and talk.
Can you provide my young person with a diagnosis / referral letter / medication?
We aim to help promote healthy coping mechanism for emotional wellbeing, including staying active and being social. However, we are not a professional mental health provision. Our team are trained in mental health, but they are not qualified medical professionals. As such, with the informal help we are offering, we are not able to provide a diagnosis, complete referral letters or to prescribe any medications. This group is to be viewed as providing informal, low-level support to young people, and should not be used as a substitute to any recommended professional medical or mental health appointments, or any treatment plans that may be recommended. Our groups may complement any existing treatment plans, by providing free ways to stay active that may help to promote a more positive sense of wellbeing.
My child has a medical condition, additional need or allergy
Please make sure that we are aware of all medical needs, additional needs including emotional or mental health conditions, allergies and medications on the booking form. If further information is required, a member of the team will contact the family to discuss.
When your child attends, please make sure that they bring any inhalers or medications that would be required in an emergency with them. Team members should be made aware of any medications or inhalers brought with the young person, especially if they will need help to be administered in an emergency.
What information does the booking form for GAME require?
The booking form will ask for the young person’s name, date of birth, address, parent or guardian phone number, parent or guardian email address, and a secondary emergency contact name and number. The form will also ask about any additional or medical needs, including allergies or mental health or emotional wellbeing needs. The form will also ask for the name of your child’s school, if they have attended any of our venues before, first aid consent, photo consent and travelling home alone consent. Lastly, by completing the form you are confirming that the young person can work independently as described in the FAQ’s.
How to sign up to the GAME sessions?
Please complete the booking form for the GAME sessions. Booking is not automatic, and a member of the Magna Vitae team will contact you to either discuss your young person’s needs, or to confirm their start date and time. Spaces need booking due to limited spaces and to be able to ensure we can meet the needs of all those attending. Unfortunately, young people who arrive with no booking confirmation might be turned away from sessions.
Please wait to be contacted by a member of Magna Vitae’s GAME team to confirm successful sign up and any start date information.
What does independently mean within GAME sessions?
Our free GAME sessions are to encourage being active and are not to be considered as a childcare session. We welcome young people both with and without any additional needs, including needs relating to their emotional and mental health. Due to the structure and aims of the group, the young people will be expected to be able to take part in activities safely, without one to one or parental support.
Examples of when a young people would need to be independent during the GAME sessions are: The choosing of the physical activity they take part in each session, returning back to base area after their chosen activity independently, any changing, personal hygiene needs or toilet needs during their time at the venue, being able to swim independently and safely (if they choose to go swimming), following the same rules as are set for the general public.
For young people where the booking form has given consent for a young person to leave alone, the young person needs to be considered by the parent or guardian as mature enough to travel home safely. Where the booking form has given consent for a young person to leave unattended, the young person will be able to leave straight after the activity has finished. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to discuss with the young person if they are allowed to leave alone, or any arrangements for collection.
What are the other requirements for taking part in GAME?
- The young person needs to be aged between 13 – 17 years of age.
- The young person needs to be able to take part in physical activities and move around the venue independently.
Who is GAME for?
GAME has been designed to support young people who may need some informal support or encouragement with their emotional health or emotional wellbeing. This could be a young people with lower confidence levels, anxiety or other low level mental health or emotional wellbeing needs.
What is GAME?
GAME stands for Get Active Move Every day.
GAME is a free and funded group for young people aged 13- 17 years of age. Our aims are to help young people to stay active, to meet up and be active with other young people and to promote emotional health and wellbeing.