Project Overview
Virtual KEEN is our action-packed interactive programme of online activities, launched in March 2020. It has been a huge success so far! We've got everything from KEEN Chats to our very own KEEN's Got Talent, exercise classes and yoga, sessions to get your creative juices flowing and our very own choir. Each session is unique, and packed full of fun, silliness and laughs.
In March 2021, after a year of Virtual KEEN, this is where we were…
Between March 2020-2021 we ran 520 Virtual KEEN sessions, each one packed full of fun.
Exactly one year after starting Virtual KEEN, we had 397 individual sign-ins to our sessions online (week commencing 8th March).
In March 2021, we were running twenty online sessions a week: each one different and unique.
Our year in numbers...
Between March 2020 and March 2021, Virtual KEEN grew from strength to strength. Overall, we ran 520 online sessions and had 429 different participants sign in. This includes 217 participants and 212 Session Buddies. This equates to 4743 individual hours of contact time, or 12.7 days!
From September 2020 - July 2021 (our first full KEEN Calender year with Virtual KEEN) we grew and grew, with over 500 individual sessions and participants!
Stories
Everybody who comes along to Virtual KEEN is important to our KEEN community and has their own story to tell. We think this tells you far more about what difference we make than numbers ever could. That's why we've captured these stories - through photos, text, videos and more - we hope you can see how important Virtual KEEN is to our community.
KEEN Parents say…
“Thank you for making Emma’s life so colourful! I cannot even imagine what the lockdown would look like without KEEN! Thank you ever so much!”
“I wish the whole world could hear how wonderful the KEEN team is!”"
“Thank you all so much to everyone at KEEN- your amazing support is inspirational. You absolutely rock. We have all learnt so much from you this year.”
KEEN Participants say…
Get to know our participants…
So, what are Virtual KEEN sessions all about?
Virtual KEEN is always available, because we upload some fun sessions on YouTube for our community to watch whenever they fancy! See some of these below, or visit KEEN UK on YouTube.
Virtual KEEN Developments
As a new project in March 2020, we're still working hard to tailor and improve Virtual KEEN - especially as we transition out of lockdown and look to the new KEEN year. See our timeline below and some other major developments.
A timeline from March 2020 to July 2021 highlighting changes to Virtual KEEN. Mar 2020 - Virtual KEEN began in response to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; Sep 2020 - Virtual KEEN begins growing beyond Oxfordshire and across the UK; Dec 2020 - First break since March, introducing our first ever YouTube Series; Feb 2021 - Timetable expands to provide more 18+ and daytime activities; Mar 2021 - We hit 500 total sessions and providing ~20 weekly sessions; Apr 2021 - Volunteers across the UK from KEEN branches begin taking the lead in sessions; Jul 2021 - Preparing for the launch of our Summer Holiday Programme and a new KEEN year!
Multiple KEEN branches are now running activities, including Disco Dance Class with KEEN Southampton and Quiz Club with KEEN Hull.
We recently introduced our Senior Leadership Team who oversee our sessions - this is formed of people from lots of KEEN branches.
Our participant base is growing across the UK, reaching from Glasgow to Plymouth!
We collaborate with other organisations to provide exciting sessions, most recently with the Oxford University Hockey Club, The Oxford Playhouse and Modern Art Oxford.
Virtual KEEN Participants across the UK!
ID: A map of the UK on a pink background, with pins on locations of Virtual KEEN Participants: Oxfordshire, London, Plymouth, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, York, Sheffield and Lincoln.
Future plans
Virtual KEEN started as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we've learned a lot from it! We realised that online sessions every day of the week means people can have fun every day from the comfort of their home - sometimes that's more convenient than coming along in person!
We plan on continuing to grow Virtual KEEN across the UK, reaching as many people as we can. Moreover, we're here to stay! We'll be bringing Virtual KEEN beyond the pandemic, providing online and inclusive activities all throughout the year.
Learn more
Click here to go to our information on Virtual KEEN aimed at participants.
If you are potential project supporter or funder who would like to learn more about Virtual KEEN or any of our other projects, please do contact us here.