Active Schools and Health and Social Care Moray take first steps to set up youth walks
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MORAY'S Active Schools team has taken the first steps towards delivering new youth walking groups for secondary pupils.
Active Schools has been working alongside Health and Social Care Moray (HSCM) to deliver the first youth walking group at Milne's High School.
The team hopes to roll out the scheme across all high schools in Moray.
A six-week pilot walking group has been running for S1 pupils at Milne's. Some 13 young people in the year took part in the lunchtime walks, along with three senior pupils.
An Active Schools spokesperson said: "With the current pandemic, the normality of a teenager’s life has changed and the transition to high school can be daunting enough.
"We have used this project to not only provide these S1s with a safe environment to be physically active, but also an environment to promote positive mental health, which is much-needed during these testing times."
The pupils fed back that they enjoyed the chance to talk, laugh and get outdoors.
Claire Buchanan, health walk co-ordinator at HSCM, said: "It was fantastic to visit the group on one of their walks and see the connections that have been made in a relatively short period of time through the power of walking.
"Walking at school, indeed at all ages and stages of life, has wide-ranging benefits, helping to improve physical, mental, social and environmental health.
"Offering the S1s a chance to step outside of the school grounds safely so that they can get moving and chatting with one another whilst discovering the wider school community has clearly been valuable for them and we hope to be able to continue this initiative in the future."
Deputy head teacher at Milne's, Adam Macleod, said: "We were delighted to support the walking group at MHS as it was a great opportunity for students to be active, make new friends and get to grips with their local community.
"New S1 students in particular have benefited from this.
"It was also an opportunity to further enhance the leadership skills of our senior students, which many of them have grasped.
"Well done to all who have participated and gained from the experience."
Lorna Young, Milne’s Active Schools co-ordinator, said the walking project had been inspiring.
She added: "The pupils have created a friendly, relaxed environment and have encouraged fellow pupils to join the walks.
"We are looking forward to these sessions continuing after the Christmas break and hopefully seeing some new faces joining the group.
"If you are a senior pupil and would like to get involved, there is an opportunity to become a walk leader to enhance the experience and strengthen the school community."
