Activating Skateparks to Inspire Youth Activity
Unlocking confidence, community and physical activity
Between 2024–2026, Rochford District saw major investment in outdoor wheeled sports spaces, with new or fully renovated skateparks delivered in Hullbridge, Rayleigh and Hawkwell. Designed and built by Betong Park Ltd, these modern facilities offered bowls, plaza style features and versatile street skate elements.
Recognising the potential for these high‑quality spaces to drive youth physical activity, Active Essex partnered with Essex Youth Service to deliver 8 weeks of coached skateboarding sessions, funded through the Find Your Active Small Grants Programme. The programme helped young people develop skills, confidence and physical literacy, while encouraging positive use of public space and creating a sense of community.
Active Essex played a strategic coordination role throughout the project, drawing on ongoing place‑based work in South East Essex to identify opportunities for meaningful youth activation. The team encouraged and supported Essex Youth Service in securing a Find Your Active Small Grant and continued to provide guidance throughout the funding, permission and planning stages.
Active Essex connected the Youth Service with Rochford District Council and other local partners, ensuring the project aligned with the Fit for the Future Implementation Plan, particularly regarding positive experiences for young people, youth crime prevention and the activation of local environments. Learnings from the project were also shared with the Health & Wellbeing Board to emphasise the importance of safe, youth‑friendly outdoor spaces.
Participants demonstrated improvements in competence, confidence, enjoyment, knowledge and understanding, as well as stronger social connections, all of which align with the Children & Young People Outcome Framework. Parents and community members offered positive feedback, often commenting on the supportive atmosphere, improved safety and the value of guided learning opportunities.
There have been a number of challenges and learnings that have taken place:
- Balancing public use of the skateparks with structured coaching sessions, particularly when very young children used the spaces informally. Coaches adapted by introducing flagged coaching zones to create safer, clearer areas for teaching.
- High quality infrastructure alone does not guarantee activation; meaningful engagement requires consistent partnership working, youth worker presence and professional coaching.
- Delays caused by staffing and permission processes also emphasised the need for stronger coordination between councils, contractors and delivery partners.
The project created a strong sense of community among young skaters, with many becoming more confident and forming supportive peer groups. Several participants have continued using the skateparks independently, feeling a greater sense of belonging.
Parents noted improvements in confidence, social skills and resilience. The partnership between Active Essex, Essex Youth Service and Rochford District Council has also strengthened, laying a foundation for ongoing activation at the new Hawkwell Skatepark and future developments.
The next steps involve replicating this activation model at the new Hawkwell Skatepark, which recently opened following a £245k investment, while continuing to support Essex Youth Service to deliver follow‑on sessions in response to growing demand from families. There are also plans to explore a wider range of wheeled‑sports pathways, including scooter and BMX sessions as well as beginners’ programmes, ensuring that more young people can access activity that suits their interests and confidence levels.
Additionally, the project will continue to influence place‑based decision‑making and contribute to discussions within the Community Safety Partnership Board and the CPR Physical Health subgroup, helping embed skatepark activation within broader local priorities.
