EXTERNAL WORK
QPG Community Hub
In June 2019 SfC and QPG Community Hub teamed up to provide a ten week social skills programme to children between the ages of 6 and 12. Approximately 13 children attended each week with an overall of 130 interactions.
The programme included ten weeks of physical activity sessions which focused on educating children around the importance of inclusion and developing skills such as self-awareness, empathy and team work.
The children got to learn new skills through engaging in new activities such as Boccia, Dodgeballs and Volleyball. Within the sessions the children worked on recognising strengths, decision making and connecting with others. The children increased their weekly activity levels and their confidence grew throughout the programme.
On completion each child was presented with a certificate in their school assembly and it has been reported that the number of children using other facilities in the leisure centre has since increased. The team hope to continue the partnership with the community hub and local schools to build a transition pathway and to work on areas such as ‘managing exam stress through physical activity’ in the future.
Gateway – Active Tendring & Active Colchester
We have been commissioned by Active Networks to expand our model externally to local gateway organisations. The agreement hopes that SFC staff members attend external groups to support with the introduction of sport and physical activity within their environment with hard to reach groups. This outreach opportunity aims to create a transitional pathway to supporting individuals to understand the benefits or sport and physical activity to then want to start attending mainstream SFC sessions at the leisure centres.
Coaching Practice Placements
Sport for Confidence have been given funding by the Sport England Innovation Fund to run Coaching Practice Placements. Open to 40 coaches in its first intake, the 40-hour programme gives sports coaches access to training modules and hands on experience working with allied health professionals with the focus on becoming a more inclusive and accessible sports coach.
The initiative, which is underway for the first time with a full cohort, is being delivered in partnership with Active Essex. The placement involves a group induction, self-study and a selection of four six-hour modules, a self-directed task and a coach evaluation.
An independent evaluation of the initiative, will enable us to evidence and learn from the outcomes that the practice placement initiative aims to achieve, with a vision to seek funding for the initiative to be repeated and broadened to other geographical areas
