Cambridgeshire SSPs recieve Innovation Award - News - LIVING SPORT

Cambridgeshire SSPs recieve Innovation Award

Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire School Sport Partnerships won one of the six awards on offer at the annual School Sport Partnership Innovation and Recognition Awards. The event took place at the recent 2009 School Sport Partnerships Conference at Telford’s International Conference Centre.

These awards identify innovation and recognise good practice that can be showcased and used to help shape delivery of the Government's PE and Sport Strategy for Young People.

Cambridge and South Cambs SSPs won the award for ‘Using the School Sport Coaching Programme to Levarage Additional Local Funding’ for their hugely successful financial partnership with local partners. An additional £53,500 was raised through working with local partners such as National Governing Bodies, Local Authorities & community clubs.

England women's cricket captain, Charlotte Edwards and the Youth Sport Trusts School Sport Ambassador Gail Emms presented Claire McDonnell (Partnership Development Manager), Christine Sprowell (Coach Manager) & Ali Cope (Partnership Development Manager) with their award. The Partnerships’ received £1,500 of training from SportsWork, who facilitate Professional Development opportunities and an additional £500 Development Grant to support this innovative work further.

The coaching programme is one of 10 strands which make up the new PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP). The aim of the programme is to provide more and better quality coaching opportunities for young people in schools and assist them in developing to the next level of competition or in joining an accredited sports club.

The School Sport Partnerships employ 13 coaches from 8 different sports; rugby, athletics, cricket, football, gymnastics, netball, hockey, tennis. Working in the 16 secondary and 90 primary schools across Cambridge and South Cambs, these coaches have had a massive impact on increasing young people’s participation and enjoyment in sport.

The two PDMs, talking about the award, said, ‘We hope our partners will be up-lifted by this award that recognises their willingness and desire to increase sporting opportunities for children and young people.’

Some of the school teachers including in the partnerships also spoke of their delight at the recognition, saying, “Children are now experiencing a much broader range of activities taught be highly qualified specialists, with the coaches providing good role models for the children. The use of these coaches has further developed the skills of gifted and talented children”.

For more details on the School Sport Partnerships, visit the Cambridge and South Cambs SSP websites.

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