As part of our plan to ensure the student volunteer workforce is fully representative of college students, five colleges have been awarded funding through the AoC Sport Leadership Academy Development Fund.
Congratulations to the following five colleges who will be working with AoC Sport to deliver the project:
- City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College
- Kirklees College
- Leeds City College
- Tyne Metropolitan College
- Varndean College
Colleges submitted applications to access the fund, which will be used to engage new student volunteers from under-represented groups. These include disabled students, students from a BAME background, female students, LBGTQ+ students or students from lower socio-economic groups.
Each college that is receiving funding will deliver an innovative project that will engage students from one or more of the above under-represented groups and will aim to develop a sustainable model for future years, whilst ensuring volunteers have a positive experience.
Alix Jenner, AoC Sport Development Officer (Leadership and Workforce) said: “The impressive applications we received for the Development Fund highlight colleges’ commitment to developing and diversifying the student volunteer workforce despite current challenges being faced by all due to Covid-19.
“We are looking forward to supporting the five selected projects over the next six months to increase opportunities for students and share learnings with the wider FE network.”
Leeds City College will be working with the college’s LGBTQ+ society to create a new volunteering programme by and for members of this community in Leeds. After some training, new volunteers will plan and deliver physical activity sessions for LGBTQ+ students and staff.
Project leader Tom Adams said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for members of the LGBTQ+ community to engage in sport and physical activity volunteering for the first time and get other members of our amazing LGBTQ+ community active.”
Kirklees College plans to engage students from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the delivery of a local social action project to support homeless people to become more active. The volunteers will deliver activities to people at a local homeless accommodation centre, giving access to gentle but impactful physical activity that promotes interaction.
The project at City of Stoke-on-Trent will encourage current volleyball and cricket students to make the leap into sports volunteering in order to develop them personally and encourage more of their peers to get involved in the clubs at college and beyond.
The learning that occurs from each project will support AoC Sport to develop fully inclusive volunteer programmes in the future.
Find out more about the Leadership Academy
here.
