Why sport is the most underrated mental health tool for young people
One in five young people in London is currently struggling with their mental health. Many have no one to talk to and nowhere to go. Here is what the evidence says, why it hits young women hardest, and what Youth Active is doing about it in Newham.
Mental health is talked about more than ever. But for a lot of young people in East London, talking about it and actually getting support are two very different things. Waiting lists are long. CAMHS is stretched. And for many young people, the first step of telling someone how they really feel is the hardest one of all.
A youth club is not a therapy service. But in many parts of London, it is the closest thing a young person has to a trusted adult who has time to listen. And that matters more than most people realise.
How big is this problem?
The numbers from NHS Digital are stark. In 2023, around one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental health difficulty:
20.3%
of young people aged 8 to 16 had a probable mental health difficulty
NHS Digital, 2023
23.3%
of young people aged 17 to 19, the highest rate of any age group
NHS Digital, 2023
21.7%
of young adults aged 20 to 25 were affected
NHS Digital, 2023
That means in a typical youth club session of 20 young people, statistically four or five of them are currently dealing with a mental health difficulty. Most will not have said anything to anyone.
Young women are being hit hardest
The King's Trust Youth Index 2025 found that young women are more likely than young men to feel apprehensive about their future. They are disproportionately struggling with low self-confidence and poor mental health, and many feel that their goals will always be out of reach.
“Young women are disproportionately struggling with low self-confidence and poor mental health compared to young men, and many feel their goals will always be out of reach.”
This is not just a statistic. It is a description of young women in Newham and across East London who are carrying enormous pressure with very little support. A youth club that takes their wellbeing seriously, gives them space to be heard, and connects them with adults who believe in them is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
The gap between need and support
Where youth clubs step in
Over 80% of London youth organisations provide services that support young people's mental health and wellbeing, often in situations where there is no other accessible support or trusted adult available to address their needs.
These are not clinical services. But they are consistent, safe, and trusted. And for many young people, a conversation with a youth worker or mentor is the first honest conversation they have had about how they are actually doing.
CAMHS waiting times in some London boroughs stretch to over a year. Schools are stretched. GPs refer onwards. In that gap, youth workers and youth clubs are picking up the pieces. They are doing it without clinical training, without the resources, and largely without recognition.
Why sport and structured activity help mental health
A year-two evaluation of the Active Essex Foundation's Sport and Youth Mental Health Project found that children and young people who took part reported real, measurable improvements. These were not minor or short-lived.
Increased confidence
Young people felt better about themselves and their abilities after regular participation in structured sport.
Better emotional regulation
Physical activity gives a healthy outlet for stress, frustration, and anxiety that young people often have no other way to process.
Improved friendships
Sport creates natural community. Shared experience, shared struggle, and shared success build connections that protect against isolation.
Feeling listened to
Sessions run by skilled youth workers created space for young people to feel heard, not just managed. That experience is rarer than it should be.
This is what a youth club offers that a gym or a PE lesson does not. Not just the physical activity, but the relationship around it. The adult who notices when someone is quieter than usual. The environment where it is okay to not be okay.
What Youth Active does for mental health and wellbeing
We are not a mental health service. But we are committed to the mental health and wellbeing of every young person who comes through our doors in Stratford. That commitment runs through everything we do.
Every session is run by trusted adults who are trained to listen, notice, and respond when a young person is struggling
Our mentoring programme creates consistent one-to-one relationships where young people can speak honestly without fear of judgement
Sport, creativity, and social time are structured to build confidence and give young people a positive sense of who they are
We actively create space for young women to access support, be heard, and build the self-belief that the data shows many are lacking
When a young person needs professional support, we connect them with the right services and make sure they do not have to navigate it alone
Young people in Newham are growing up in one of the most pressured environments in the country. They deserve somewhere that takes their inner world as seriously as their exam results. That is what we are here to be.
Sources & further reading
You do not have to figure it out alone
Youth Active is open to all young people aged 3 to 18 in Newham and across East London. Sessions run Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in Stratford. No booking needed. Just show up.