Rugby for All: Building Inclusive, Active Futures Through Try Sports

At Young Minders, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to thrive through sport, regardless of their background, ability, or prior experience.

Our Try Sports rugby sessions are designed to be inclusive, accessible, and confidence-building, especially for home-educated children who often miss out on regular sporting opportunities.

After gathering feedback from families, we’re proud to share some key insights that reflect the positive impact and growing demand for our inclusive approach.

Who’s Getting Involved?

Our participants are diverse in both age and background. Most children are aged between 10 and 16, and many are completely new to rugby—joining with no prior experience. This reinforces our goal of creating a safe space to try something new and build confidence at

any level.

We’ve also welcomed children with additional needs, and feedback shows that these sessions have helped reduce stress and improve focus, behaviour, and wellbeing.

Whether or not a child comes with a formal diagnosis, our programme is built to meet them where they are with kindness, structure, and encouragement.

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Reflecting Our Community

Our participants represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, including Black African, Latin American, and mixed heritage families. This diversity is important to us—not just in who attends, but in how we deliver. We focus on culturally responsive sessions, approachable coaching, and community-led engagement so families feel truly welcome.

A majority of participants were new to rugby, demonstrating the programme’s role in widening access.

Building Confidence On and Off the Field

Parents reported a range of positive outcomes, including:

• Improved confidence and communication

• Better teamwork and social skills

• Increased physical activity

• Greater focus and reduced anxiety

These are more than just sporting wins, they’re life skills. For home-educated children, especially those with limited resources or social outlets, these sessions offer structure, connection, and empowerment.

Try Rugby Supports Families

Our sessions aren’t just for children, they are designed to strengthen the whole family experience. Parents shared how the sessions have become a highlight of their week, offering routine, community, and even ideas for future involvement.

Many have expressed interest in supporting as volunteers, coaches, or mentors, but flagged time and confidence as the main barriers.

We are now exploring training opportunities such as:

• First aid certification

• Safeguarding

• Coaching badges

These could open new pathways for families to stay engaged long-term in the sport and the community.

Looking Ahead

We’ve been blown away by the support and feedback we’ve received:

“Sessions are well organised, inclusive and enjoyable. I would urge funders to invest in this kind of grassroots sport, especially for underserved home-educated communities.”

Going forward, we plan to:

• Launch girls-only rugby sessions

• Introduce more sports variety

• Offer age-specific groups (e.g. 7–11s, 12–16s)

• Explore parent fitness sessions alongside rugby

  
  

With continued support, we can grow Try Sports into a model of inclusive youth sport that reflects the rich diversity, energy, and resilience of our community.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re a parent, volunteer, organisation or funder who believes in what we’re doing, we’d love to hear from you.

Together, we can keep building something that truly works for every child.

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