Revealed: How Active Are Young People in the Humber?

Active Lives Children and Young People Survey – Humber Region

We’re sharing some important findings from the latest Active Lives Children and Young People Survey for the Humber region — and why supporting physical activity for children and young people matters now more than ever. 

The Key Message

More than half (54%) of children and young people in the Humber region are not getting enough physical activity.

That’s around 66,000 young people who aren’t meeting the recommended activity levels for their age.

What the Data Tells Us

• Girls are less active than boys, particularly during school hours.
  
• Children in primary schools are generally less active than those in secondary schools.
  
• Activity levels fall sharply when children face multiple challenges, such as living in poverty, having a disability, or lacking access to facilities.
  
• Children from low-income families are less likely to be active. Even in higher-income families, activity levels in the Humber are lower than the national average.
  
• Young people without access to outdoor space are also less likely to be active.
  
• Those who enjoy being active, feel confident doing it, and understand why it matters are far more likely to stay active.
  

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

What We’re Doing

• Giving Girls More Choice
  
• We’re working with schools to support girls to have more say in how they get active during the school day.
  
• Making Schools More Active
  
• Our initiatives around creating active schools have been helping both primary and secondary schools build activity into everyday life.
  
• Supporting Young People in Non-Mainstream Education
  

We’ve recently run activity carousels with young people who attend education settings outside of mainstream schools—such as pupil referral units. These sessions took place at local leisure centres and on-site and have been a great success. We’re now looking at how more physical activity opportunities can be built into their daily routine.

Supporting Special Schools through MATP

We deliver the Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Programme (MATP) to special schools across the Humber—upskilling staff and creating more opportunities for young people with additional needs to be physically active.

You can read more about our work with children and young people in our Impact Report.

Why This Matters for the Humber

Helping children and young people to be more active brings wide-ranging benefits for the whole region:

• Healthier communities – More active children mean fewer long-term health issues and reduced pressure on local health services.
  
• Improved learning and behaviour – Physical activity helps children concentrate better, learn more effectively, and feel better emotionally.
  
• Stronger local economy – Healthier young people are more likely to grow into resilient, capable adults who contribute positively to society and the workforce.
  
• More connected communities - Activity helps build friendships, strengthen neighbourhoods, and create safer spaces for everyone.

How You Can Help

Make Physical Activity a Priority

Whatever your role — in education, health, youth work, housing, or local government — think about how physical activity can be part of your plans and conversations.

Help Raise Awareness

Use your networks to share why being active is important and how families can get involved.

Speak to our Team

Meet the Team at Active Humber and see how we can work together to get more children and young people active across the Humber region.