My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered legal entity
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Cllr Stella
Last Name
Wilson
Pronouns
She/Her
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Westminster Children's University Queens Park School
Lead Organisation Name
Westminster Children's University Queens Park School
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2017
Initiative Title
Green Active Futures: Sport, Wellbeing, Forest School & Resilience in Community Spaces
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.westminsterchildrensuniversity.co.uk
Initiative Stage
Growth (You’ve moved past the very first activities; working towards the next level of expansion.)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Environment & Sustainability
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Green Active Futures is a year-round, place-based sport, wellbeing and Forest School programme for children and young people aged 5–16 in Queen’s Park and Harrow Road that uses inclusive sport and safe, accessible green spaces as the core tools for early intervention, delivering structured football through NexAim Football and trauma-informed Forest School led by the Queen’s Park Primary Forest School Lead in a private, secure community green space to improve mental health, emotional regulation and physical activity, build confidence and safe risk-taking, and reduce vulnerability to serious youth violence, supported by creative wellbeing and first aid training and sustained through term-time and holiday provision in trusted local settings.Each participating child will receive weekly school-based play and sport sessions, five Forest School sessions in safe green spaces, one human first aid session, one pet first aid session, and four samba and rhythm workshops because this balanced combination of physical activity, nature connection, creativity and practical safety skills is proven to strengthen emotional regulation, confidence, community connection and long-term resilience.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Green Active Futures addresses the early drivers of serious youth violence, poor mental health and disengagement affecting children and young people aged 5–16 in Queen’s Park, Harrow Road and surrounding W10 wards, where high levels of child poverty, overcrowded housing and limited access to safe green space combine with rising anxiety and exposure to community violence to place children under sustained pressure from an early age; local schools report increasing emotional dysregulation, low confidence and difficulty concentrating among primary-aged pupils, alongside a growing need for calm, outdoor-based provision that supports regulation and safe risk-taking, particularly for children with SEND needs or trauma histories, with one school noting that “outdoor, structured activity is one of the few things that consistently helps children regulate and re-engage,” while another shared that Forest School is “transformative for some of our most anxious pupils”; Green Active Futures responds by providing year-round, place-based early intervention rooted in trusted local relationships, combining inclusive sport delivered by NexAim Football, trauma-informed Forest School led by the Queen’s Park Primary Forest School Lead, creative wellbeing through samba and rhythm, and practical safety and emotional regulation training through First Aid Heroes, all delivered across schools, youth settings and a private, secure community green space to ensure consistent access during term time and school holidays when risk and isolation are highest; the programme benefits those least likely to access paid enrichment or statutory support, including children living in low-income households, those with anxiety or emotional regulation needs, limited access to safe outdoor space or early exposure to
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Our approach addresses the challenges facing children and young people in W10 by embedding regular, safe access to sport, movement and green space into their everyday lives through a coordinated, place-based model. Green Active Futures responds to the combined pressures of socio-economic disadvantage, limited access to safe outdoor space, rising anxiety and the impact of local street violence in 2025 by focusing on early intervention and prevention rather than crisis response. We deliver year-round, free provision that integrates inclusive sport, Forest School practice, creative movement and trauma-informed wellbeing support in trusted local settings. Weekly school-based play and sport sessions led by NexAim Football prioritise enjoyment, teamwork and emotional regulation, while Forest School provision led by the Queen’s Park Primary Forest School Lead uses nature-based learning to support calmness, confidence and safe risk-taking, particularly benefiting children with SEND needs or anxiety. Creative samba and rhythm sessions provide an accessible route into physical activity for children who may struggle with traditional sport, supporting cultural inclusion and expression. Our solution reimagines access to space by activating school grounds and a private, secure community green space as welcoming sport and wellbeing hubs. In a context where families are cautious about children using public parks due to safety concerns, we work directly with schools, community organisations and faith partners as landowners and gatekeepers to open these spaces safely during school time, after school and in holidays, when risk and isolation are highest This approach builds directly on our pre-delivered greening investment, which transformed underused outdoor areas
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Green Active Futures is rooted directly in the barriers faced by children and families in W10, where socio-economic disadvantage, safety concerns following street violence in 2025, limited green space and cost barriers restrict access to sport and physical activity. Our solution addresses these structural barriers by removing cost, bringing activity into trusted, everyday spaces, and strengthening local relationships that enable access rather than relying on families to travel or self-organise. We unlock access to sport and physical activity by working with schools, community organisations and faith partners as landowners and gatekeepers, activating school grounds and a private, secure community green space as safe, welcoming hubs for year-round delivery. These spaces are opened beyond traditional use through shared agreements, safeguarding alignment and local authority support, allowing consistent access during the school day, after school and holidays when risk and isolation are highest. This approach reframes green space as essential wellbeing infrastructure, not a discretionary extra. Collaboration with young people and the community is central to our delivery. The programme has been shaped by ongoing feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and youth workers involved in our greening, playtime sport and wellbeing pilots, which highlighted the impact of outdoor activity on calmness, behaviour and confidence. Young people influence session design through choice of activities, leadership roles and informal feedback, while community members support delivery through gardening, events and shared use of space. Schools and families co-own the programme, thus it remains culturally relevant, trauma-informed and responsive, strengthening trust,connection and ownership
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
Green Active Futures is co-created with the children, families and schools it serves, ensuring young people are placed at the centre of both design and delivery. Our approach is built around their community by delivering activity in spaces they already trust—school playgrounds, green areas developed through our greening work and a private, secure community space—rather than expecting young people to adapt to unfamiliar or inaccessible environments. Session content has been shaped through ongoing feedback from pupils involved in our playtime sport, Forest School and gardening pilots, where children expressed a preference for outdoor, structured activity that felt calm, inclusive and non-competitive. In response, young people now influence activity choice, session pacing and leadership roles, for example helping set rules in football sessions, selecting nature-based activities in Forest School and contributing to creative movement and rhythm workshops. Young people actively participate beyond attendance by taking ownership of spaces and activities. Children involved in the Greening Project helped design and plant garden beds, care for shared spaces and host community food events, strengthening pride and responsibility. In Forest School, participants assess risk, build shelters and lead group tasks, while sport sessions encourage peer mentoring and teamwork. These experiences build confidence and agency, particularly for children with SEND or anxiety. Evidence of impact from our pre-delivered work shows improved behaviour at playtimes, calmer transitions back to class, increased engagement in physical activity and strong demand for continued outdoor provision. Schools report reduced playground conflict and improved emotional regulation. Looking ahead, Green Active Future
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Green Active Futures delivers clear, measurable outputs alongside long-term, place-based impact by embedding sport, Forest School and creative movement into spaces that are already trusted but historically underused. Unlocking safe green spaces for sport through schools, the programme will provide weekly school-based sport and play sessions for up to 200 children, five Forest School sessions per participant in a private, secure green space, four creative samba and movement sessions, and one human and one pet first aid session, creating a consistent, high-quality offer that reaches children most affected by inequality and limited access to safe outdoor activity. Holiday provision will extend reach during higher-risk periods, increasing both speed and depth of impact. Our existing delivery provides early evidence of impact and scalability. Through our greening and playtime sport work, over 150 children and family members have already engaged in outdoor activity, with schools reporting reduced playground conflict, improved emotional regulation and increased enthusiasm for physical activity. One headteacher noted improved behaviour and calmer transitions following structured outdoor sessions. Participation data shows strong inclusion, including children with SEND and families with English as an Additional Language. Key KPIs include: number of children accessing regular physical activity (target 200+), frequency of participation (weekly engagement), increased confidence and emotional regulation (measured through pre/post wellbeing check-ins), reduced playground incidents reported by schools, and increased use of green space outside lesson time. We will also track holiday attendance, repeat participation and partner engagement as indicators of sustainability.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
Green Active Futures tackles the root causes of disengagement from sport and physical activity by changing how space, relationships and responsibility are structured within the W10 community. Rather than creating new facilities or short-term programmes, our solution reimagines existing school grounds and secured community green spaces as shared, year-round wellbeing infrastructure, shifting norms around who these spaces are for and when they can be used. By embedding sport, Forest School and creative movement into everyday, trusted environments, we remove structural barriers linked to cost, safety concerns and access, particularly for families affected by deprivation and community trauma. Our approach is innovative in how it brings together education, sport, environmental learning and creative practice within a single operational model, delivered through formal agreements with schools, community organisations and local partners. This collaboration enables flexible use of space, shared safeguarding responsibility and consistent delivery across term time and holidays, creating stability and trust. Viability is underpinned by our proven delivery track record, established partnerships and use of trained local practitioners, including the Queen’s Park Primary Forest School Lead and NexAim Football. The model is cost-effective, leveraging existing assets and in-kind support while prioritising frontline delivery. Sustainability is built through embedding the programme into school routines, upskilling staff and creating shared ownership of spaces. Our scaling plan focuses on replicating this place-based model across additional schools and wards, using evidence from participation, wellbeing outcomes and space activation to secure long-term funding and local authority support,
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Roles and Responsibilities Green Active Futures is delivered through a clear, collaborative partnership model that ensures accountability, quality and effective use of local expertise. Westminster Children’s University (WCU) – Lead Partner WCU holds overall responsibility for programme coordination, safeguarding oversight, partnership management and reporting. WCU leads school engagement, schedules delivery across sites, manages budgets and monitoring, and ensures the programme aligns with education, wellbeing and violence prevention priorities. WCU also delivers the pet first aid and wellbeing elements and coordinates evaluation. Schools (including Queen’s Park Primary School) Schools act as delivery partners and landowners, providing access to playgrounds, fields and outdoor learning spaces. School staff support participant engagement, safeguarding, behaviour management and integration into the school day. The Queen’s Park Primary Forest School Lead designs and delivers Forest School provision and supports staff development. NexAim Football NexAim Football delivers inclusive sport and play sessions during school time and holidays. They are responsible for session planning, safe delivery, participant engagement and monitoring attendance and behaviour outcomes, with a focus on inclusion, teamwork and emotional regulation. Community Harmonies / Samba Partners Creative partners deliver samba, rhythm and movement sessions, supporting cultural inclusion, confidence and expression. They adapt delivery to age and setting and work closely with schools and WCU to ensure alignment with wellbeing goals. First Aid Heroes / Qualified Trainers Specialist trainers deliver trauma-informed human first aid and bleed control sessions. They ensure age-appropriate content, safety and quality assurance, working with WCU on scheduling and evaluation. Community & Faith Partners Community partners provide access to secure green space, support family engagement and host community sessions. They act as trusted connectors between families, schools and delivery partners. This shared model ensures each partner contributes their specialist expertise while WCU maintains strategic oversight, safeguarding and coherence across the programme.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Green Active Futures – Key Milestones (24 Months) Year 1: Establish, Deliver and Evidence (£25,000) Months 1–2 | Programme Set-Up Delivery agreements signed with partner schools and community landowners. Safeguarding, insurance and risk assessments finalised. Term-time and holiday delivery schedule confirmed. Baseline data collected (participation, wellbeing, access to space). Months 3–5 | Launch and Early Delivery Weekly school-based sport and play sessions begin (NexAim Football). Forest School sessions launched in school grounds and secure green space. Creative movement and samba sessions commence. First human and pet first aid sessions delivered. Minimum 80 children actively engaged. Months 6–9 | Full Delivery and Space Activation Regular weekly sessions sustained across all strands. School holiday sport and Forest School provision delivered. Secure community green space in consistent weekly use. Minimum 200 children engaged cumulatively. Ongoing monitoring of attendance and wellbeing outcomes. Months 10–12 | Review and Consolidation Participant, school and family feedback gathered. Impact data analysed and learning documented. Year 1 impact summary produced. Delivery model refined for sustainability and growth. Engagement with local authority and funders using evidence gathered. Year 2: Extend, Embed and Scale (£25,000) Months 13–15 | Expansion Planning Additional schools, cohorts or sites identified. Extended space-use agreements negotiated. Additional practitioners trained and onboarded. Youth leadership opportunities designed. Months 16–20 | Extended Delivery Programme expanded to new cohorts or locations. Increased holiday and family-inclusive provision delivered. Youth leadership and peer mentoring roles active. Participation increases to 300+ children cumulatively. Months 21–24 | Sustainability and Replication Long-term funding and local authority support secured. Programme embedded within school wellbeing and enrichment plans. Replication toolkit developed. Model positioned for rollout across additional wards.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding Participation in the 8-week capacity-building programme would not require additional funding. The WCU Project Manager would attend the programme as part of their existing role and responsibilities, with time allocated within current staffing capacity and budgets. The only potential cost consideration would be travel, should sessions take place outside London or require frequent in-person attendance. If required, limited support towards travel costs would enable full participation; however, beyond this, no additional costs (such as staff backfill, consultancy, or equipment) would be incurred.
