Watford FC’s Community, Sports and Education Trust recently held a celebratory graduation event at Vicarage Road for one of its leading programmes, Empower, to acknowledge the incredible work and progress displayed by the young people involved.

The six-month scheme aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of nine to 12-year-olds through the use of physical activity, helping participants manage their emotions and understand their triggers, increase their resilience and protective factors and gain a further support network.

Each session is 90 minutes in length and begins with 60 minutes of physical activity, typically in the form of a sports session such as dodgeball, football, basketball, badminton or dance.

Following the physical activity, participants complete a 30-minute wellbeing workshop, which is a facilitated conversation between the young people, the Trust’s coaches and a NESSie psychotherapist.

Empower supports a number of young people, including those with low mood, anxiety, mild depression, ASD and bereavement.

Following the 24-week programme, the Trust invites the young people, along with parents/carers and staff, to a graduation session. This allows all the participants to be together for one last time to celebrate their achievements.

In April 2022, the latest graduation event took place at Vicarage Road, with the video below showcasing the ceremony.

The young people were presented with a certificate and a goodie bag for the tremendous efforts shown throughout the Empower programme.

Click HERE for more information about Empower, or to refer a child to the project email Jodine Williams at jodine.williams@watfordfc.com.

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