Manchester City are providing a new programme to help more than a thousand children and young adults in the local area get enhanced support for their mental health.
The new Cityzens Giving for Recovery programme from City in the Community (CITC), the club's charitable foundation, will harness the power of football to provide support for young people aged 14 to 25 in Manchester.
Every City in the Community programme will now include a new mental wellbeing curriculum, with a view to reaching 1,300 local people.
"Mental health problems are not new but with youngsters living through an increased level of social isolation and uncertainty, now is the time to enhance our level of support," Mike Green, head of City in the Community, told the club's official website.
"Thanks to the generosity of our incredible fans and the City Football Group, we now have the funds to deliver this project for a full year.
Busy day?
— City in the Community (@citctweets) January 28, 2021
🎥👇 Hear about how the new #CityzensGiving for Recovery project will support people's mental health, in this 40 second video from Martin, our Community Outreach Manager.
➡️https://t.co/WjFtYPgu29 pic.twitter.com/xQDQnbRpGV
"Every penny raised moving forward will help us to continue for a second 12 months, when many will still be feeling the impacts of the coronavirus."
A survey discovered that the COVID-19 pandemic had led to increased anxiety and depression among children and young people in Manchester, while a lack of structure and routine was having a negative impact.
Physical activity, such as football, can help to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
To address these issues, a new mental health curriculum has been developed to improve mental wellbeing, mixing specially adapted football sessions delivered by CITC with one-to-one mentoring and group workshops on mental-health awareness.
Additionally, CITC will deliver specific mental-health-themed football sessions from youth clubs across Manchester, enabling participants to enjoy physical activity while also accessing the benefits of one-to-one mentoring and group workshops.
These sessions will continue throughout the school holidays.
Man City have been providing varied support to the Manchester community over the course of the pandemic, including establishing a vaccination centre at their Etihad Campus. The club have also provided access to the Etihad Stadium for the training of nurses and staff.
To support Cityzens Giving for Recovery, visit: cityzensgiving.org
