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F. Support hub

MENTAL HEALTH

Times of isolation can feel difficult, but we want you to know that the IARS community is with you all the way.
And there are also a range of other great opportunities and organisations out there to help support you during this time. We’ve put together this quick list to help you find the things you need.

NHS Every Mind Matters

NHS mental wellbeing audio guides

  • A series of audio guides to help you cope with issues including depression, stress and anxiety. Listen here.

Rehab 4 Addiction

It is a free addiction helpline run by people who’ve beaten addiction in their own lives in London and the South East. This is a free helpline set up by people who are themselves recovering from drug and alcohol addiction

The Mix: Coronavirus support hub

  • Lots of information and resources to help you cope with coronavirus and the impacts it has on you. Access it here.

Young Minds

Anna Freud Centre: Advice for young people

  • Advice for young people and their families on how to cope with anxiety and other issues during the coronavirus outbreak, including guidance for self-care and how families can work together. Find all the advice here.

AYPH: A rights-based, survivor-led approach to coping with lockdown

Become: Advice for care-experienced young people

  • Advice specially for care-experienced young people on how to support yourself during the pandemic. Find it here.

Body & Soul MindSET livestreams

  • Body & Soul is providing a weekly MindSET Livestream session that will be accessible to any young person in psychological distress. Sign up here.

Bright Sky app

  • A phone app providing support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know. It’s disguised as a weather app for safety and confidentiality. Find out more here – or download it for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Government advice for young carers

  • Advice for young carers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Access it here.

How are you feeling? Coronavirus resources

  • Lots of resources to help with things like going back to school and learning from home. Read them here.

OCD Stories: Coronavirus & OCD

  • A podcast where OCD expert Dr Jon Grayson answers listener questions about the coronavirus and OCD. Listen here.

Self injury support: Coping with Coronavirus Lockdown When Your Mental Health is Already Not Great

  • A blog about the impact of the current lockdown situation if you are already struggling with your mental health. Read it here.

STAY ACTIVE!


Looking for ways to stay fit whilst you’re at home? Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety and help to keep you feeling well. Here are some great online workouts to look at.

If you don’t have internet you can print off or take a screenshot of some of the one page workouts at Darebee.com, they are all free and they have workouts that focus on pretty much every part of the body as well as full body workouts, so pick one that meets your interests and goals (check out the filter option to choose specific parts of the body or aspects of fitness to focus on):

https://darebee.com/workouts.html

Awesome online resources:

Sworkit: Free Customizable Follow Along Kids Workouts 

  • Sign up for Sworkit and use them for follow along workouts for kids
    • They have a free kids workouts for anyone to use after signing up and they are even customizable and have student examples for all of the follow along workouts, just click on the “Kids Workouts” section after logging in
    • This is awesome because since it’s customizable you can delete activities that are too hard and replace them with easier versions – or if it’s too easy, you can replace them with more challenging activities and exercises…

Follow Along Workout Channels on Youtube

Follow Along Dances:

Practice or learn a popular Line Dance

PE ACTIVITIES WITH LIMITED EQUIPMENT 

SKILLS REVIEW

If you have any of the equipment below (frisbee, ball, jump rope, balloon etc), you can practice reviewing or working on any of the skills that we’ve learned in PE class this year.

  • Striking a Balloon (awesome activity for K-2nd Grade)
    • Blow up a balloon and practice striking it with different items in your house (or different body parts)
    • What is the hardest item or body part to control the balloon with?  What’s your record for the most number of hits without moving your feet?
    • Here’s an example of this balloon striking activity
  • 4 Square
    • If you have a playground ball and a garage or driveway you can play a game of 2 Square with a family member, draw a court with some chalk and check out this post if you don’t have the rules to play the game https://www.thepespecialist.com/foursquare/

Inspirational Character and Confidence Building Video Series: 

  • Check out the website below for a great set of inspirational videos for students to watch and have some conversations about perseverance through hard times, believing in yourself and making an impact in the world.  I think this series offers a great perspective for students.
  • https://www.varsitybrands.com/believe-in-you-video-series-one

FOR PE TEACHERS

If you’re a PE Teacher looking for some resources, below are some helpful links and resources from other Teachers that might be helpful as you embark on the journey of figuring out what online PE is supposed to look like.

E-LEARNING RESOURCES

London Learning at Home

The London Curriculum has reached out across the city to bring together free learning and cultural offers that children can access from home. Their aim is to support families, teachers and nurseries during this challenging time and ensure that young Londoners still feel connected to the incredible people, places and culture of their city. They have focussed on London-specific offers, which add to the national list of online education resources published by the Department for Education.

IARS TRAINING

We have our own e-learning platform that you can access here

Audible Books for Homeschooling

Audiobook company are offering a range of free books for homeschool students. You need to sign up to the service, but once you’re signed up, you can download the books for free.

Future Learn

There are hundreds of online courses and even bachelor degrees on Future Learn. Whatever your area of interest, you can find short courses here, whether for personal interest or for potential future employment

Learn to Code with Blockly

Blockly will teach you how to code video games and websites via their online tools.

TED ED

TED talks are fantastic and are a great way to entertain yourself whilst at home, and they’ve also made a specific educational part to their website where you can watch educational talks and videos too.

Science Lessons

Mystery Science is offering online science lessons for young people of all ages.

Science Projects with Crest Awards

Take on a science project and get an award via the Crest Awards.

History Lessons

The Big History Project is offering history lessons that you can do from home, helping you to keep up with school work whilst you stay in.

Khan Academy 

Khan Academy have been innovating in online learning for several years, and during the COVID-19 outbreak they are offering online schedules for 2-18 year olds as well as a variety of remote learning resources in all of the core subjects.

GCSE & A-Level Content 

If you’re revising for GCSEs or A-Levels, you can get specific resources to help you study via Seneca – and it’s all free.

Open University 

The Open University offers remote working, flexible hour short courses and degree courses online. There are a variety of subjects to choose from.

iDEA

If you want to learn more about digital media and online resources, iDEA are offering free courses on everything from e-safety to coding.

ENTERTAINMENT

If you’re looking for some ways to entertain yourself whilst at home, here are some great ideas.

Virtual Museum Tours 

This is a great list of museum’s who have posted virtual tours, so you can look around from the comfort of your own sofa.

Online Classical Concerts

If you miss live music, take a look at this growing list of classical concerts being streamed online. It’s constantly being updated as new concerts are announced.

Scouts

The Scouts have hundreds of activity ideas to entertain young people and their siblings – from making glow in the dark maps of the stars to creating a calendar of the highlights of your year. Visit their website for some ideas.

Independent Academic Research Studies International Institute (IARS)
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Office Mobile: 0044 (0)7833224442
Email: contact@iars.org.uk

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EMBARGOED 00:01 TUESDAY 8 MARCH 2022 

We are Sculpt

IARS International Institute to operate as Sculpt

*Charity CEO available for interview – details in notes 

A UK-based youth charity today changes its operating name from the IARS International Institute to Sculpt. 

IARS is an international NGO that’s been working to empower young people to forge a fairer society for over 20 years. Their work is guided and evaluated by young people themselves.  

Over the last 20 years, IARS has delivered more than 70 successful projects that have addressed real problems that young people face, in areas such as: 

  • Gender discrimination 
  • Violence against women and girls 
  • Supporting young people to find work 
  • Creating green and sustainable business 
  • Promoting collaboration among young people across the world and much more. 

In 2021, with the world changing rapidly and opportunities for their work shifting, they decided to refresh their purpose and identity, and made the decision to rebrand as Sculpt. 

Claire Bonham, Chief Executive of Sculpt, said: 

‘We are delighted to launch our new brand that speaks to our aim to empower young people to shape their future.

‘We believe that many of today’s young people are facing unjust challenges – economically, environmentally and socially. A fair, sustainable society can only evolve if all young people have the opportunities, the confidence, the ambition and the skills to make their voices heard and propel change in their communities, irrespective of who they are or where they come from.  

‘Our rebrand, like our work, has been guided by research and by young people themselves. As an organisation we base our work on rigorously researched evidence and are led in our approach by our youth advisory board. Their voices and insight are critical to solving the right problems in meaningful ways.’  

 

Notes to editors:  

Dr. Claire Bonham, Chief Executive of The IARS International Institute is available for interview. Contact Claire directly on: director@iars.org.uk +44(0) 7833 224442  

Sculpt

www.sculptuk.org 

Sculpt is a UK-based charity providing research, training and work-experience opportunities that empower young people to shape their own futures and those of their communities. 

We work directly with young people, employers and professionals who support young people. All our work is guided by young people themselves and based on carefully researched evidence. We: 

  • Facilitate forums for young people to make their needs and their voices heard. 
  • Publish a magazine by young people to express their perspectives and encourage debate around public policy issues. 
  • Conduct research to uncover young people’s real needs and what works to empower and support them. 
  • Deliver training to build young people’s confidence, skills, ambition, resilience and sense of responsibility, so they can shape their futures and change their communities for the better, as leaders, social entrepreneurs and active participants in civic life. 
  • Deliver training for professionals who work with young people, drawing on our research and expertise. 
  • Engage with employers to facilitate work experience and employment opportunities for young people to develop skills and access diverse jobs. 
  • Facilitate international exchange opportunities to encourage and enable young people to experience and appreciate other cultures, perspectives and ways of life. 

We tackle disempowerment from three angles: working directly with young people to build confidence and skills and their voice, working with professionals who support young people, and working with employers to break down barriers to opportunity.