Yoga & Mindfulness for Young People

We are in the middle of a pandemic and the world is changing. There’s been a huge shift in the way we live our lives. It's been very difficult for most adults to comprehend, so as you can imagine young people are finding it extremely hard right now. I’m sure if you have dependents you know what I am talking about. It is more important than ever to make sure that young people have the tools they need to help get through these difficult times. Some of the most vulnerable young people are not getting the support and the services that they need to thrive in their day to day lives. Young people thrive when they feel safe and protected, when family and community connections are stable and nurturing, and when their basic needs are met.

Hi there! My name is Amani and I am a black female social entrepreneur who has been practicing yoga for the last 12 years and teaching it for 6. I created Project Yogi, a not-for-profit organisation 5 years ago to help children, teens and young adults learn how to look after their mental and physical well-being.

Project Yogi supports vulnerable, underprivileged and under-represented youths and their families in London through yoga, mindfulness and social emotional well-being based programmes, classes and workshops. We also teach yoga as an alternative to competitive sports.

Our programmes support:

·        Anxiety

·        Mental health

·        Self-development

·        Challenging behaviour

·        Low attainment

·        Exam stress

·        Physical Education


Many people know that yoga and mindfulness have positive effects on anxiety, emotions and stress because it’s been well documented. We want to make sure that young people have access to these practices because their lives are changing now and maybe for years to come because of COVID-19. They can’t sit their exams, see friends or family, and be in a safe space which may have been school or a club. Some children may not have a decent meal to eat every day and we are yet to find out what the impact of taking away their “normal” will be.

There has already been a huge rise in the number of young people suffering from mental ill health, as well as an increase in childhood obesity. Who knows what the statistics will be like after COVID-19. Unfortunately a disproportionate amount of Black, Asian and other ethnicities are at a higher risk of developing ill mental health, Social Emotion Learning difficulties, Adverse Childhood Experiences or a physical health condition, in addition to other current socioeconomic factors they may be facing. Ill health and emotional challenges have a huge impact on young people's learning outcomes, self-esteem, temperament and their relationships with family and friends.

It is crucial for us to do what we can for young people right now. They deserve to learn how to nurture and foster their well-being so they are able to grow up healthier, happier and resilient. We have curated a series of online programmes that we hope will bring a much-needed respite, boosting confidence, supporting educational attainment, increasing happiness, building resilience, providing relaxation and more.

We know that after the pandemic is over things are going to be very different. There won’t be as much funding available or corporate support, as the economy is going to suffer from the outbreak as well. Less money means less support and services. Your support will help us to continue to reach young people and start to take some of the work we do online so we are able to reach a larger audience. Please donate!

Let’s help generation Z understand why mental and physical well-being is so important.

 

Thank you for your support.


www.projectyogi.com