Ambassador recruitment launches for 2021/22

September 2021

Students can now be recruited for ambassador programmes by any college registered for the AoC Sport Leadership Academy

Building on the success of last year’s programmes, AoC Sport will again be recruiting Inclusion Ambassadors, Mental Health Ambassadors and This Girl Can Ambassadors to inspire students to get active in their college.

The Inclusion Ambassador role is to promote and inspire disabled students in their college to take part in sport and physical activity and to work with staff members at college to ensure all sessions are inclusive for disabled students to attend.

The Mental Health Ambassador role is to promote the benefits of sport and physical activity on mental health and to encourage students in their college to take part in sport and physical activity.

The This Girl Can Ambassador role is to promote and inspire other females within college to participate in sport and physical activity and to raise awareness of the Sport England This Girl Can campaign.

New for 2021/22

Students who were part of the Ambassador programme in 2020/21 can sign up to mentor new ambassadors at their college. Mentors will have access to a new e-learning module to support them in their role and build on their leadership skills.

For the first time we will bring together students from all three Ambassador programmes as well as ECFA Activators at regional training events during January and February 2022.

Why should your college get involved?

Our Ambassador programmes have increased the diversity of the college sport workforce. These opportunities are more accessible, more inclusive and appeal to a wider cross-section of the student population than traditional sporting volunteer programmes.

In 2020/21 almost a quarter of Ambassadors were from an ethnic minority, 31% had a disability, and 30% were from the most deprived IMD bands nationally (quintile 1). In addition to this, 45% were not studying sport at college, which shows these programmes are not just for sports students.

Volunteering enhances students’ personal development and helps them to improve a range of skills. From our 2020/21 Leadership Academy personal development survey, 88% of volunteers agreed or strongly agreed that volunteering increased their confidence, 94% said their teamwork had improved and 90% said volunteering improved their communication skills.

• Step 1 – To be involved colleges must be signed up to the AoC Sport Leadership Academyby completing this registration form by Friday 8 October
• Step 2 – Colleges identify which Ambassador programmes they would like to be involved in (colleges can access multiple programmes)
• Step 3 - Colleges select suitable Ambassadors. The Ambassador application window is open from 15 September 2021
• Step 4 – College staff share registration form with successful Ambassadors
• Step 5 - Students register to the relevant Ambassador programme using the link provided by their college staff member. Registration for Ambassadors closes on 22 October 2021
• Step 6 - Colleges confirm the names of their Ambassadors by 22 October 2021
• Step 7 - AoC Sport will contact colleges and students confirming Ambassadors and the next steps.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the Leadership Academy please contact Kirstie.Hickson@aoc.co.uk or the following people for the specific Ambassador programmes:

Inclusion Ambassadors – Shannon.Howarth@aoc.co.uk

Mental Health Ambassadors – Kirstie.Hickson@aoc.co.uk or Charlotte.Jane@aoc.co.uk

This Girl Can Ambassadors – Sam.Strickson@aoc.co.uk