Translating insights from neuroscience for educational practitioners

The Institution for Development of Young Minds (IDYOMS) was born in May 2020. My co-founder and I knew that the emerging science on the adolescent brain could have a profound impact on the development of young people. Billions of people devote their leisure time to play or, altruistically, help others to play a sport. Sport is a shared, universal language. But whilst public policy often focuses on the physical health benefits to the participants, increasingly sport is recognised as having a positive social impact. Sport has the ability to bring people together and help build relationships. Therefore sport is an invaluable tool to help communities grow and improve. The institute was created to help sporting associations and clubs to use the latest science of the brain for the development of young players. Using our research and culture change skills, we embed this knowledge about the teenage brain into all aspects of the young players development. We build the skills, knowledge and tools of the coaching communities to be able to help adolescents fulfill their potential as players and as people. Idyoms is the coming together of my research in academia, my years as a teacher and my experience in elite sport working with professional coaches and young players. It allows me to take the evidence that has emerged about the adolescent brain and apply it to real world sport. Hopefully the institute will help improve the lives of players and coaches and also generate more insight about the application of this science in sport.