| What is it?
Step into Sport is perhaps an exciting new programme which encourages young people (between 14 and 19 years of age) to become involved with sport in their local community.
Through Sport England, Sports Leaders UK (formerly the British Sports Trust) and the Youth Sports Trust, Step into Sport provides a clear pathway for young volunteers who want a rewarding, valuable volunteering experience to put their talents and enthusiasm to good use.
Over 48,000 young people will be enrolled in the scheme over a two year period through the schools partnership network based around the Government’s Sport and Education Action Zones. Many of the young people will have taken part in and achieved sports leadership awards such as the Junior Sports Leaders Awards (JSLA) and the Community Sports Leaders Awards (CSLA) prior to joining the community volunteering section of the programme.
Community volunteering is when the young person commits themselves to taking a voluntary placement at a local sports club or association. They will be placed in a club that has been identified by the County Sports Partnership and which has all the necessary structures in place to receive and support young volunteers.
What do we need to get involved?
Step into Sport is an exciting initiative, but it is important that the young people involved receive a good experience, in a quality environment, carrying out roles which are relevant to them. Therefore, the initial step to becoming involved is to make sure that your Rugby Club can met the minimum criteria.
The criteria are:
· You must have and adhere to the RFU Child Protection Policy
· Coaches must have suitable qualifications, for example if someone wishes to assist the coaching of U9’s, the coach they accompany should be modified games qualified. Also, as Step into Sport volunteers are, by the nature of the scheme, young people, the accompanying coach must be CRB checked, regardless of what age group they coach
· You must have a volunteer coordinator who will be responsible for supporting the volunteers
· You must have clear ideas of the roles the Step into Sport volunteers would undertake (See below for ideas)
· Your club must have achieved or be actively working towards the RFU Seal of Approval.
What can we ask a Step into Sport Volunteer to do?
There are many different roles that a young person involved in the Step into Sport scheme may prefer to do to put their leadership skills training to use. The following list is designed to give you some ideas and is by no means exhaustive – in fact, it’s just a starting point!
After School Club Support and After School Club Assistant Coach
Help to organise the participants
Help to set up the venue
Assist the coach, perhaps running a session (under supervision)
Take the register
Act as a mentor
Assistant coach
Be responsible for session registration.
Be responsible for team warm up and cool down elements of coaching session.
Be responsible for team hydration.
Assist team coach in providing quality coaching support to team.
Attend mini/midi coach training course.
Event organiser
Run a mini festival
Pre-match entertainment
Helping at holiday activities
Assisting at festivals
Volunteering at tournaments
Fundraiser
Organise prize draws
Events such as discos, race nights etc
Sponsored events
Organise bag packing sessions at the local supermarket
Match Day Liaison
Meet and greet the teams
Welcome the referees
Prepare the changing rooms prior to the match ~ hang the kits etc
Sell programmes
Match Programme Production
Get the team lists
Write articles
Contact the away club for information they may want including
Sell advertising space (under supervision)
Arrange the layout
Make sure it gets to and from the printers on time
Officiating
Be responsible for coordination referees for club home events.
Officiate at Mini-Midi games and festivals.
Officiate at Tag type recreational festivals.
Assist with the player education in the laws of the game at Mini / Midi level.
Attend mini/midi referee training course.
Schools liaison
Assist with coaching delivery in local schools.
Assist with data collection of participants.
Be responsible for club link at one school (your school)
Be responsible for organisation of a Tag type schools festival at the club.
Attend Child protection training course,
Administration e.g. club directory.
Assist in the data collection for the document.
Assist with the formation of document layout.
Assist with the distribution.
Be responsible for monitoring of stock.
Attend Running Sport training course.
Pitch maintenance and pre-match preparation
Assist with pitch marking and preparation.
Be responsible for liaising with club fixtures personnel over playing requirements.
Assist with upkeep of equipment.
Assist with seeking funding to maintain and upkeep facility.
Attend IOG training course.
Pre-match preparation: Put out the flags, Place the post protectors, Check the first aid room is prepared and stocked, Everything is where it’s supposed to be
Video technician
Be responsible for filming 1st XV (or similar) at all home games (with permission).
Assist with preparation of video for analysis purposes.
Be responsible for filming club events.
Assist with data storage and sales.
Produce a promotional video for a club
Website Assistant
Assist with the layout of website.
Be responsible for data information collection from Mini/Midi section
Assist with promotion of website.
Be responsible for regular updating of website.
How do we get involved?
If your club is interested in getting involved with the Step into Sport scheme and can meet the criteria, complete the Step into Sport registration form and send it to Carole Thelwall-Jones, CB Volunteer Manager. Your details will then be forwarded to the County Sports Partnership for your area. If you are approached by a young person who wants to do their Step into Sport placement with you and you have not registered, please complete the registration form and send it to the CB Volunteer Manager.
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