 What is NSPCC Participation Through Sport?
Participation Through Sport is based at the NSPCC Drop In at
the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Young People's Centre, Great Sankey,
Warrington.
This provision has been shaped by the children and young people,
and aims to reflect their agenda. This is consistent with Every
Child Matters and addresses their wish to have a say, learn and
develop, and have access to increased sport and leisure
provision.
The model that has developed:
- Promotes the personal development, leadership and volunteering
of children and young people.
- Sustains weekly after-school and holiday activities.
- Reflects listening to children in sport as part of addressing
best practice and safeguarding.
The above is supported by a team of four staff, who develop
partnerships, deliver training and mentor volunteer
Sports Leaders. The aim is to develop a Children's Service
Model of Provision, promoting resilience through engaging
children and young people as volunteers and participants, and in
adopting a peer led and problem solving approach to the
delivery of courses.
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 NSPCC Participation Through
Sport working in partnership with Sports Leaders UK
NSPCC Participation Through Sport runs a range of Sports Leaders UK
courses. These are open to adult volunteers, young people, and
children including referrals from schools, training schemes and
extended services. Flexibility allows us to run courses on a
weekly, term time or holiday basis.
Courses include:
We have also developed and are piloting in conjunction with
Sports Leaders UK, a Listening to Children and Safeguarding in
Sport Workshop which is built on the values that underpin
training in the Sports Leaders UK courses.
A film - Listening to Children in Sport - supports this
resource. These messages were based on our experiences
and were developed by Sports Leaders and participants. Please
contact us if you would like a copy of the film or are interested
in piloting the workshop.
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 What NSPCC Participation Through Sport has to
offer
We have been successful in developing a culture of volunteers and
our volunteers have been recognised in Regional Volunteer Awards.
A significant number of participants who have taken part in our
holiday festivals and after-school clubs are now volunteer Sports
Leaders.
Our volunteer Sports Leaders are seen as role models and have
made a positive impact in developing relationships and co-operation
amongst the community who use the NSPCC Drop In.
Our success in sustaining a team of volunteers reflects the fact
that young people enjoy volunteering as part of their peer
group, and wish to work in a supportive environment with adult
support.
Our work engages with the Department for Children, Families
and Schools (DCFS) agenda contained in Every Child Matters
(2004), Youth Matters (2004) and Aim High (2007), that highlights
the importance of positive activities in developing skills,
leadership and volunteering. Young people who become involved make
more successful transitions.
Our model has been successful in establishing a wide range of
partnerships working with colleges of further education, the Play
Development Service, Sports Development, Connexions, Integrated
Youth Support, the Primary Care Trust, schools, School Sport
Partnerships and Step into Sport Programme, V, Children's Services
and Extended Services. We have also worked with the Football
Association, Network Rail (No Messin' Campaign), Game On and the
British Judo Association. In conjunction with Sports Leaders UK we
have hosted the following conferences:
- Engaging Children and Young People - Promoting Positive
Outcomes with partners from Extended Services, Thorn Cross YOI,
Connexions and Warrington Collegiate.
- Listening to Children and Safeguarding in Sport - with partners
from the Cheshire & Warrington Safeguarding Boards, and Sport
Cheshire.
We have been particularly successful in engaging with the
Extended Services agenda, especially in relation to the requirement
for clusters, to establish a varied menu of provision. As part of
this we have run holiday Sports Leaders UK courses that have
established community after-school provision in other areas. We
have also run the Young Leader Award in holidays and with children
from a variety of schools in the cluster. This work has contributed
to developing a cluster identity, promoting cohesion, and has been
evidenced by the Department of Children, Schools and Families in
Extending Inclusion: Access for Disabled Children and Young People
(DCFS 2008).
Our work in one particular area has culminated in a Day Certificate in
Sports Leadership that brought together schools, the play
service, education, housing and community groups. This used
materials from the Young Leader Award to promote the sustainability
and encourage partners to run the award.
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