Stevenage FC and Thameslink team up to support young people in new ‘Don’t Tackle it Alone’ campaign

• To combat the mental health crisis following the pandemic, Thameslink is strengthening its partnership with Stevenage FC to support young people in the community
• The campaign encourages people to attend Friday Kicks sporting events in their areas
• The scheme offers the younger generation a support network and safe place to meet

Thameslink and Stevenage FC have joined forces to promote positive mental health with a new ‘Don’t Tackle it Alone’ campaign. As mental health issues continue to rise following the pandemic, the campaign encourages young people to join Stevenage FC Foundation’s Premier League Kicks programme to make friends and open up about problems.

With research suggesting that the younger generation have struggled the most with their mental health during the pandemic[1], Thameslink is focusing on this age group to support vulnerable people in its communities, building on its year-round focus on mental wellbeing, in partnership with the football club.

To launch the partnership, players from the Academy and First Teams donned specially designed kits with the important message:

‘Don’t Tackle It Alone. We Are All In This Together, Always.’

Strengthening a long-standing partnership with Stevenage FC, Thameslink is now working with Stevenage FC Foundation to encourage young people to get involved in sport, meet new friends and build confidence through the Stevenage FC Foundation Premier League Kicks programme.

The Kicks programme – funded by Premier League Kicks and Sport England – uses the power of football to offer young people a support network and somewhere constructive to let off steam. So far, the scheme has managed to contribute towards a 50% reduction in anti-social behaviour in local communities, giving people a safe space to meet [2].

Stevenage FC Foundation uses the scheme to reach those who need support the most, encouraging young people aged 8-19 to get active at sessions in Baldock, Welwyn Garden City or Stevenage.

Tom Moran, Managing Director for Thameslink and Great Northern said: “We work hard to make our stations a welcoming place to be, but with a lack of places to meet safely, the spaces can sometimes be used for antisocial behaviour. This scheme helps to tackle this by providing young people with a more positive way to spend their time. It’s great to be able to join forces with Stevenage FC to encourage even more individuals to attend.”

Joe Goude, Chief Executive of Stevenge FC Foundation, added: “Our Kicks programme aims to inspire more young people in the Stevenage area to realise their potential from both a playing and life skills perspective. It’s so important that we provide a place to build connections, engage in open dialogue and ultimately create a tightknit community, and we can only do this by working alongside supportive partners, like Thameslink, to spread the message.”

The campaign has also been backed by Stevenage Young People’s Healthy Hub, a central point of access for young people aged 11-17 who need support with their mental or emotional, physical or lifestyle related health needs. The Young People’s Healthy Hub currently operates Tuesday – Thursday from 3.30pm-6.30pm with a delivery of programmes and outreach events being delivered at flexible times outside of open hours making it accessible for young people, pupils and their parents after the school day and during the weekend.

A spokesman for Stevenage Borough Council said: “We know from experience that wellbeing can be improved by creating connection, being active and learning something new - and we’re delighted that Thameslink and Stevenage FC’s new campaign encourages all of these positive actions. For young people aged 11-17 who might be struggling, the Young People’s Healthy Hub is here to help find you the right support – please Don’t Tackle It Alone.”

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About the GTR and Stevenage FC Partnership:

• Lack of peer contact is one of the top causes of mental health issues among young people. Research put together by Samaritans[1], showed that young people were feeling lonelier than those who are older, with more than half of young people reporting feeling lonely after a year of restrictions. This was a rise from just a third at the beginning of 2020.
• Thameslink has an ongoing partnership with Stevenage Football Club, supporting its 16-18-year-old Academy players with free travel passes, enabling students to travel for education and further training.
• Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is committed to investing into the communities it serves and with dedicated partnerships, such as this, the company can help to upskill the next generation – paving the way towards a bright future.
• In 2020, Stevenage FC was awarded the Best Company Pride of Stevenage 2020 award for its work during the Coronavirus pandemic.

How GTR is supporting passengers to travel safely:

• To keep passengers and staff safe, there is an enhanced cleaning regime focused on touch points
• GTR sanitises all 2,700 of its train carriages every day and uses a long-lasting viricide across stations, trains and staff areas which kills coronavirus for weeks at a time 
• All trains with air conditioning continually refresh the air in each carriage every 6-9 minutes 
• Weekly Covid safety checks are carried out across trains and stations, looking at cleaning and passenger information
• Find a quieter train with our online passenger loading prediction service. At National Rail Enquiries, you can also subscribe to journey alerts with information on busier services
• Over 1,000 touch-free hand sanitisers have been installed at stations
• We have one-way and queuing systems ready to apply at our busiest stations if necessary
• We promote the government’s offer of twice-weekly lateral flow tests to our staff
• E-tickets are available at 60 stations to reduce social contact through ticket buying
• Customers can order a free Key smartcard online, buy a new season ticket online, and add it to their card simply by tapping it to their phone or a station ticket gate or validator