How Regional RISE Up Programmes Are Transforming Children's Life Chances

In my role as Director of Sport, Health and RSHE in an inner-city school, I saw first-hand how trauma, adversity and lack of early support impacted children’s ability to engage, achieve, and thrive.

Our school was based in an area where life expectancy differed by 13 years depending on which side of the road you were born. We didn’t have time to wait for external services — we needed something we could do ourselves, from the inside out.

That’s where RISE Up began. Not as a theory. But as a necessity.

Over the last 4 years, we’ve developed our approach with Virtual Schools, Active Partnerships, Public Health, and MATs across the country.

What started in one school has now grown into an award winning movement of over 300 schools across 4 continents — and the results speak for themselves.

🎯 Our Regional RISE Up Programmes Have Four Core Aims:

1️⃣ Identify children struggling with their mental health early and signpost them to support to stop problems from escalating.

2️⃣ Build a trauma-informed frontline of emotionally available adults.

3️⃣ Use movement to support regulation and a sense of belonging.

4️⃣ Equip children with a practical self-care toolkit to build resilience and emotional intelligence.

By equipping schools to intervene early, we help reduce the pressure on downstream services like CAMHS, APs, and social care — saving time, money, and ultimately changing life trajectories.

🧠 The RISE Up Wellbeing Formula

At the heart of every Regional RISE Up Programme is our unique wellbeing formula:

Outstanding Relationships

+ Movement for Regulation, Belonging & Mental Wellbeing

+ Play Wrapped in Care

+ Educator Agency

+ Early Intervention Wellbeing Programmes =

A Transformational Wellbeing Teacher

Relationships sit at the top for a reason — they’re the foundation. When children feel safe and connected, everything else becomes possible.

🚀 Your Regional RISE Up Programme Journey

Our proven 9-step process guides innovative regional partners like you to build trauma-informed school communities — boosting life chances, attendance and confidence for the children who need it most, within 12 months.

✅ STAGE 1 – ENGAGE - Spark Interest & Identify Priority Schools

1️⃣ Taster Session Sparks Interest 

🎤We present at a regional CPD or conference to introduce the approach and build a waiting list of interested schools.

2️⃣ High-Need Schools Prioritised 

🎯You (Virtual Schools, Active Partnerships, Public Health) add targeted schools based on data and local priorities.

3️⃣ Regional Network Launch 

🤝All schools come together with us for a joint CPD session to kickstart collaboration, mindmap opportunities, and build a connected learning community.

💪 STAGE 2 – EMPOWER - Build Capacity with Practical, Proven Tools

4️⃣ Tailored Strategy for Each School 

🛠️Schools design their own approach, choosing from over 14 evidence-based pathways to meet their specific needs.

5️⃣ Award-Winning Online Training 

🎓Educators complete flexible, CPD-certified training in Trauma-Informed PE and through our RISE Up early intervention mental wellbeing course.

6️⃣ Support Every Step 

🧭Ongoing check-ins, planning calls, teach meets and ready-to-use editable resources ensure schools are never left to go it alone.

🎉 STAGE 3 – CELEBRATE & DEVELOP - Evidence Impact & Sustain the Change

7️⃣ Co-Created Case Studies 

📸Each school documents their journey and impact, building a legacy of good practice and boosting internal buy-in.

8️⃣ Celebration Event 

🎈We bring all schools back together to showcase successes, inspire each other, and share ideas for next steps.

9️⃣ Regional Report & Sustainability Planning 

📊We combine WEMWBS and school data, School Wellbeing Scorecard outcomes and school stories into a powerful regional impact report to support future bids and planning.

🤝 Trusted Across Sectors

Our approach is grounded in tried-and-tested strategies from classrooms, sports halls and playgrounds.

We work with a wide range of educational settings:

• Primary

• Secondary

• Special

• Alternative Provision

• Pupil Referral Units

  
  

🔥 Real-World Impact

❤️ Liverpool RISE Up – 39% improvement in teacher perceptions of student mental wellbeing and 31% improvement in school wellbeing provision.

🧩 Bure Park Specialist School – Reduced physical holds from 50 to 10 in two years.

👧 Belvedere Academy – Significantly improved girls’ engagement in PE and won the YST National Award for Outstanding Secondary Practice.

🏫 Charles Darwin Primary – Boosted attendance and eased transitions through a Monday morning RISE Up Sport Sanctuary.

🏆 Award-Winning – Recognised as the UK’s Leading Student Wellbeing Teacher Training Course in 2025.

📊 Explore more success stories and reports: www.futureaction.net/impact

📞 Want to See If This Could Work in Your Region?

We work flexibly with partners to access appropriate funding pots — from Virtual School budgets and Public Health to Sport England and regional VRU streams.

💬 Book a call here to chat with me directly — no pressure, just a chance to explore what might work best for your region.

Or join our Regional RISE Up Programme waiting list here and we will be in touch asap.

Together, we can empower the educators in your region to transform children’s life chances — and create emotionally safe, movement-rich school communities built to thrive.

Thank you for all you do for your young people, and have a brilliant week.

Neil Moggan and the Future Action team

P.S. 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter – stay informed with the latest wellbeing insights and practical tools for your setting:👉 Subscribe Here