DfE Volunteer Leaders and Coaches – Elite Academy

See how we partnered with The Golf Foundation to implement this Department for Education (DfE)-funded programme

Read about the challenge, our role and the active difference this project has made. Plus hear participant and partner views.

The challenge 

 

The primary purpose of this DfE funded programme is to recruit, develop and deploy adult volunteer leaders and coaches to provide a workforce to support the School Games in the Liverpool City Region (LCR).

Discussions between MSP, the Golf Foundation and Elite Sports Academy led to the development of a plan outlining how volunteers could be recruited and deployed to support schools to participate in Tri-Golf and to compete locally both at Level 2 and Level 3 competitions.

Elite Sports Academy is a sports academy provider in Liverpool, their team is made up of vocational specialists delivering OCR Level 3 BTEC in Sport courses.

All the staff are fully qualified PE specialists and have over 5 year’s teaching experience meaning they are able to ensure every student reaches their full potential. As well as study, students pick one of their professional sports academies in football, golf, tennis or dance. Their academies are run by specialist coaches all with a minimum level 3 qualification.

22 students from Elite Sports Academy were recruited to support, developed and deployed to deliver activity in local schools in advance of the Level 3 School Games.

Our role

 

Working with Elite Sports Academy in order to show the students the range of sports that are available through the School Games, MSP and The Golf Foundation provided training in Tri-Golf to enable students at Elite Sports Academy support local schools participate, in the lead up to the Level 3 competition. The training included how to score, organise fixtures and referee matches. Thomas was one of the students that took up this offer to get involved.

 

In the past, Thomas has only been involved in football, so this was a great opportunity for him to try Tri-Golf and learn new skills working with and coaching younger children. During his time on the programme, MSP arranged with Andy Leigh (Regional Development Officer for the Golf Foundation) to give training to all 22 students including Thomas.

The active difference

22 students attended a School Games Activators workshop delivered by The Golf Foundation where they learned how to:

  • Introduce golf to a large group of children in a fun and safe way
  • Use a variety of games cards and equipment to maximise inclusion and progression of activity
  • Understand and apply simple games to aid learning
  • Have enhanced competence and confidence in delivering Tri-Golf
  • Understand follow on opportunities for the local community coaching programmes

“Been a great day, learned so much over the last couple of months and especially how to adapt to different situations and will use the new skills I have acquired in my future. I would definitely recommend volunteering to others, really good experience, gets you out of the house and meeting new people.” | Thomas Walsh, Elite Academy Student

“Thank you to MSP for inviting us to be a part of the School Games cannot praise the event enough it’s given our students more experience as sport leaders and coaches, it’s helped them come out of their shells to become better coaches and they all enjoyed the experience and knowledge they have gained.” | Tim Craig Elite Sports Academy - Teacher & Football Coach

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