BreakOut - allowing children and young people, as well as their families, to enjoy fun games and activities in a safe environment and crucially, they will also be able to enjoy a free, healthy cooked meal.

What is BreakOut?
In 2020 we piloted Summer BreakOut over the school holidays which was a huge success. In response to demand, COVID-19 and further struggles our families are facing we extended this to include the Christmas holiday.Our aim now is to make BreakOut a year-round programme of FREE multi-agency Community Hubs in the areas of highest need, supporting key vulnerable families, across Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). Many of the families receive Free School Meals, are on low incomes or supporting children with additional needs. Each hub supports with play, crafts, sports, free hot nutritious food, cooking lessons, take away food parcels and some much-needed parental down time. Advice and signposts are also available where needed to additional support services in the area.

BreakOut supports on two levels. Firstly, with children / young people and families immediate needs around food insecurity & wellbeing. Secondly developing growth mindsets, skills & networks providing a framework for positive future steps including sign posting to job coaches, citizens advice bureau, career advisers etc.

The hubs are based in the areas of most need across Bath & North East Somerset and provide safe spaces for children, parents and carers to connect.

Why BreakOut?
Supporting and feeding struggling families in the Bath & North East Somerset region started 3 years ago for Bath Rugby Foundation (BRF).  However during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis BRF were acutely aware that the impact of ‘lockdown’ would be felt the most by the poorest in our society and we began to think about how we could support children, young people and families in preparing for a return to normality by building on our existing family and employability programmes - Eat Active and Advantage.

What are the Objectives of BreakOut?

• Reduce isolation for children, young people and families living in areas of deprivation 
• Increase physical activity levels in children, young people and their families 
• Decrease anxieties for families around food poverty throughout the school holidays and provide accessible hot meals
• Provide opportunities to learn about balanced diets and affordable healthy nutrition 
• Increase families and young people’s confidence in trying new food
• Provide a safe community space for communal meals 
• Increase self-esteem in children, young people and their families
• Develop resilience and social and emotional skills for families and young people
• Reducing the long-term attainment gap 
• Provide access to income, career and financial guidance and support 

What does a BreakOut Hub Look Like?
 *Also includes FAB (Family Activity Boxes) currently being delivered weekly by BRF during lockdown.

Provision is split into 3 age ranges / categories: Families (for children under 13 and their families), Young Teens (14-16) and Young Adults (18+ & NEET – not in Education, Employment or Training) - this age range follows our Advantage programme and only runs in the summer holidays.

Holiday and Term-time hubs all consist of:

• FREE hot meal for everyone, craft activities and sport
• Finance, mental health and careers advice/sign posting (for young adults and parents)
• Offer of a food parcel to take away for the week if needed (from Fareshare South West, repurposed surplus food).  *Also see FAB.
• Hubs based in key, vulnerable communities across Bath & North East Somerset 
• Focus on upskilling and building confidence in nutrition & cookery - cookery lessons for the family, healthy lifestyle eating, goal setting and understanding nutritional value for money
• Self-referral to scheme if families postcode is in an area of highest 20% deprivation or has a child with special educational needs and/or disabilities or receive free school meals
• Targeted recruitment in areas of deprivation (children who receive free school meals/eligible for pupil premium grant). Referrals through local authority, family support therapists, schools, other voluntary sector organisations such as domestic abuse charities, Citizens Advice Bureau 

BreakOut – School Holiday Hubs

• 3hr sessions, currently at 3 separate hub locations
• Once a week at each location in all school holidays except the Summer where provision is four days a week
• Each site will have 11 weeks of holiday provision per year – 2wks at Christmas & Easter, 1wk over Feb, May & Oct half terms, 4wks during the summer  

BreakOut - Termtime After School Hubs

• 2 hour sessions delivered at multiple locations over 36 weeks in blocks of 6 weeks

Family Activity Box (FAB)* - COVID-19 Lockdown Provision

• Food parcels dropped off weekly to participating families with a food activity
• Deliver weekly resources, recipes, equipment, sports equipment, printed materials
• Set weekly challenges including physical, cooking and mental health both for individuals and for the whole family
• Weekly 40 minute Facebook Live sessions including sports and a fun family workout followed by a live MasterChef style cooking demonstration (ingredients provided) with Sara from Live Learn Cook. You can see an example by clicking here.

You can view some Case Studies by clicking here.

What would funding be used for?
Funding would be used to support the continuation and expansion of BreakOut during all school holidays & during termtime and to increase the number of hub locations where we can provide these services.

Our Crowdfunding target of £4,200 would pay for BreakOut to be run in 2 hub locations over the upcoming Easter school holiday.

Thank You!

Thank you for taking the time to read about BreakOut.

Our warmest thanks also on behalf of the 100's of children / young people and their families who benefit from the services provided by BreakOut.