Leadership

There are 2 projects run by BSSP that are specifically aimed at this aspect, the first is Positive Play, which is aimed and Primary school children and allows them to train to become play leaders. The second is a nationally run project called Step into Sport which is managed by the Youth Sports Trust, this allows 11 - 19 year olds to become involved volunteering whilst learning how to become good leaders.

Step into Sport

Step into sport in a nationally run project aimed at 11 – 19 years olds. The Youth Sports Trust is in charge of managing the project overall but the partnership is the main driver in getting as many young people from the area signed up and volunteering around our area.

“Step into Sport is part of the Governments PE and Sport Strategy for Young People. Both the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England, with the support of Sports Leaders
UK, manage the programme on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Step into Sport targets 11 - 19 year olds by providing a simple framework of co-ordinated opportunities at a local level, to enable young people to begin and sustain an involvement in leadership and volunteering in sport.
The principles of Step into Sport are to develop leadership through sport and leadership in sport with the overall aims of the programme being to drive;
• 'personal change' in young people by supporting the
development of inter-personal skills, self-confidence and
a sense of responsibility and
• 'structural change' through our work with key agencies to
offer broader opportunities for young people to make a
formal and valued contribution to the delivery of sport.” (Youth Sports Trust)

Children can get involved in Step into sport from the age of 11 and then work through the 3 stages. First is the STEP ON stage aimed at 11- 14 years olds. Here they can get involved in helping out in curriculum PE and in a club. The next stage is then STEP IN for 14 – 16 year olds where they are encouraged to get involved in the extended activities within school such as events and festivals, as well as assisting and supporting a club in the community. The final stage is STEP OUT for 16 – 19 year olds and this is aimed to assisting with extended activities at further education and becoming a leader within community clubs.
During this pathway the young leaders aim to complete as many hours both in the school and in the community as possible, each time they take part in a session they can log onto the volunteer passport and record the hours. There are then rewards for them at 50 hours, 100 hours and 200 hours in both the school and community categories. If the young leader is successful in completing 200 hours both in schools and in the community they can be put forward for the Dame Kelly Holmes double award. There is also then a chance for 2 young people to be put forward to the Step into Sport 4 day camp held at Loughborough University.
Step into Sport in a great way for young people to develop life skills such as confidence, leadership, communication, and organisational skills which can help them when they get older.