Andy Burnham and Olympic and Paralympic medallists back schools initiative
You can now get your children involved in Sky Sports Living for Sport; an initiative which will provide every secondary school in the UK the chance to use sport to motivate and inspire young people, between the ages of 11 and 16.
Darren Campbell
Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists Darren Campbell and Helene Raynsford have given their backing to Sky Sports Living for Sport, at an event attended by Jeremy Darroch, Andy Burnham MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Steve Grainger, Youth Sport Trust’s chief executive.
Government support
The initiative, supported by the department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), aims to encourage pupils to take on different activities and learn new sports, from football to fencing and basketball to boccia. Secondary school teachers can use these sessions to help pupils work towards measurable self-development goals that help build interpersonal and leadership skills. As the pupils grow and develop they are encouraged to put their new skills and confidence into practice outside the initiative by conceiving and managing their own sporting events.
Darren Campbell, Sky Sports Living for Sport Ambassador said, "I have heard first hand from teachers and pupils at schools who talk passionately about Sky Sports Living for Sport and I’ve seen for myself the life-changing journeys many pupils have made. I always walk away from school visits both proud and incredibly humbled and I look forward to meeting even more of those who are benefiting from the programme."
Making a difference
Jeremy Darroch added: "This programme has already proven that sport has the power to change lives. Now we want to help make a difference to tens of thousands of young people across the country."
Steve Grainger, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: "Sky Sports Living for Sport is a real success story that has produced some great results over the last five years to motivate and inspire thousands of young people. We’re thrilled to be able to offer the project to every secondary school in the country through the new website and hope that by using the power of sport, we can support thousands more youngsters through the programme."
Jaskiran Rai, Young sports leader for Sky Sports Living for Sport, said: "Taking part in Sky Sports Living for Sport has given me more confidence and a new interest in extra curricular activities. I was very shy at school but taking part in sport has encouraged me to be more outgoing. I am now a sports leader, working with local primary school to deliver activity days and sports events to help other children less able than myself."
Proof of success
An independent study on the impact of Sky Sports Living for Sport carried out by The Institute of Youth Sport at Loughborough University provides some very encouraging figures: 80% of teachers reported that pupils had benefited from project aims and 68.7% of teachers reported the project had a positive impact on bullying in their schools.*
For more information, please visit http://livingforsport.skysports.com (opens in a new window) and download a flyer to give to your local secondary school.
Transcript of the video
Jeremy Langdon - Sky Sports presenter: Dawn on the River Thames at Putney. It’s another mornings’ training for the scullers at the London Rowing Club.
But a first chance for these Berkshire scullers to sample life in the Boat House and get inspired through Sky Sports Living for Sport scheme which aims to involve 30,000 young people and every secondary school in the country by 2012.
Steve Grainger (Youth Sport Trust)
Sky Sports Living for Sport works in schools with young people who are at risk of dropping out of school and really uses sport to re-engage them in school life.
Andy Burnham (MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Steve Grainger, Youth Sport Trust’s chief executive):
It’s so important to get a brand with the glamour of Sky Sports working in schools alongside the Youth Sport Trust. We have a pledge in this Olympic era to get 2million more people active and if we can, that would be a great legacy of the London Olympics.
Jeremy Langdon - Sky Sports presenter:
Darren Campbell is a Sky Sports Living for Sport ambassador. The Kids get inspired by him and mentors like Paralympic medallist Helene Raynsford who visit their schools.
Darren Campbell (former athlete and Sky Sports Living for Sport Ambassador):
I was no different to these young people. My teachers said I was a no-hoper, I wouldn’t achieve anything. In there defence I was disruptive in class. I did get suspended. I think if it wasn’t for athletics, you know, maybe I would have gone the other way. This is why Sky Sports Living for Sports Scheme is so important because this gives young people another type of choice.
Jeremy Langdon - Sky Sports presenter: And the effect of the programme is already being felt at Wexham School in Slough.
Sports teacher from Wexham school: We have a student here who when he came to us in Year seven, didn’t really involve himself in sport, and very much could have gone either way. Since he’s been with us and been on the Living for Sport programme he’s now signed for Fulham.
Student: I tried for Fulham, and that was in Year 8, but then I came on this Living for Sport programme in Year 9 and then that just gave me so much confidence. So that made me just realise that it’s more important to work as a team than working alone.
Jeremy Langdon - Sky Sports presenter: It’s been a truly awesome experience for Michael (student) and some of his mates, a chance to learn new skills and gain new confidence, which may even see them back on the river not just travelling across it on the way in to work.