Mollie Ward is relishing her ground-breaking role as a young people’s physical activity link worker, based in the HUB at the Technique Stadium.

Mollie recently took on the newly-created post, which sees her working with young people aged 14 to 25 who face challenges that prevent them from reaching their full potential.

The role has been created as a result of a partnership between Chesterfield FC Community Trust and Derbyshire Voluntary Action, who have come together to create a brand new social prescribing service for young people in Chesterfield.

Connect to… @ The HUB harnesses Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s experience in running social prescribing services for older adults for the last eight years, with Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s expertise, experience and facilities in supporting health and wellbeing in the community.

Summing up her role, Mollie says: “My job is to provide a person-centred support service for young people, working with them to highlight their interests and strengths, address their challenges, and to help them make the connections they don’t feel able to make by themselves.

“The connections could be to a community-based advice or counselling service, or to something sporty, arty, creative or social. Alternatively, it could be to volunteering, or literacy support, or a combination of several of those things – all of which will give them a strong foundation, positive wellbeing, basic skills and reliable relationships.”

Her new role represents a homecoming for Mollie, who was born in Bolsover and went to Heritage School in Clowne and the sixth form at Brookfield School before gaining a degree in psychology and working in London.

She worked in mental health services during her time in the capital, helping people in supported housing following discharge from hospital.

“For complete independent living, the people I supported needed help with community reintegration and engaging in community activities because often they had complex mental health needs like psychosis, schizophrenia and personality disorders,” Mollie explains.

“My clients were people who had been very withdrawn from society and had had long stays in hospital, some lasting five to ten years.

“My experience in London transfers into this role because you’re talking person-centred care and that’s what this role is about, it’s working with a person holistically, so not just the things that are holding them back, but also the positives.”

Mollie is delighted to have been given the opportunity to take on this new challenge, saying: “I’m really honoured because it is such an exciting thing to be part of what feels like a grassroots project. We really are building this new service from the ground up.

“I’m excited to get started – to have some young people come through the door and be able to work with them and follow their stories.”

Mollie can be contacted by emailing mollie@dva.org.uk or on 07522 023571.