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Sports Leaders UK can instil vital life skills in your young charges
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Leadership, confi dence, communication and teamwork are just some of the many life skills today’s children will increasingly need to kickstart their futures and prosper after their school years. When the time comes for job interviews or university applications, students will need those skills to impress, often having to stand out from increased competition. Top universities also look for that extra something from prospective undergraduates on their application forms. Strong leadership skills gained from volunteering can put applicants in a far better position than contemporaries with little or no extracurricular activity on their CV. Statistics from the likes of UCAS and the Sport and Recreational Alliance’s ‘Game of Life’ report suggest that nine out of 10 employers rate good communication skills as the most important skill for employment. A study carried out by education provider Kaplan added weight to the argument by suggesting that, at the point of recruitment, “being a team player, a good communicator, confi dent and analytical were all more important than having technical knowledge.”
PRACTICAL LEARNING
A good starting point for students wanting to develop these skills is by taking a sports leadership qualifi cation from Sports Leaders UK. The company inspires people and communities through leadership qualifi cations in sport, dance, volunteering and expeditions. It trains over 121,000 learners a year through 6,000 delivery centres across the UK. Learners aged nine upwards can
achieve awards and nationally recognised qualifi cations, offering progression from Level 1 (age 13) right through to higher education, enabling schools, colleges and universities to integrate leadership into their academic programmes and helping
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FOLLOW THE LEADERS
students to develop and demonstrate skills that go beyond leading sport. The modules guide a learner through
every aspect of planning, running and evaluating sporting activities – from health and safety issues, adaptability and suitability of the exercises through to the role of offi cials in sport. Students who take the Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership are guided through modules that teach confi dence, communication, teamwork and organisation skills. For instance, one module concentrates specifi cally on communication skills. Via practical exercises, students learn to improve both verbal and non-verbal methods of communication, discussing the best solutions across a wide range of circumstances. Importantly, although most aspects of the course involve active participation, students do not need prior experience in sport to succeed.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Hundreds of schools from both the independent and state sectors offer a wide range of Sports Leaders awards and qualifi cations, often as additional enrichment activities for their students. For example, a partnership of 38 schools in the Watford area offers the group’s
PlayMaker Award to 1,400 Key Stage 2 pupils, as the ideal way to introduce leadership skills to younger children in a structured and engaging environment. Says Sports Leaders UK’s Brendan Gilbert: “These young people take the fi rst step on the leadership ladder each academic year, gaining important life skills such as communication, organisation and teamwork, all the while getting the added health benefi ts associated with being more active. The PlayMakers not only become role models for younger children at their schools, but are then in the perfect position to progress to further Sports Leaders qualifi cations at secondary school level.” Sam Berry, School Games Organiser, Three Rivers and Watford Sports Partnership, said: “We enjoy working with Sports Leaders UK to ensure that every child has the chance to leave Key Stage 2 with an accredited Leadership Award. “It is great to see young leaders having a positive impact on playgrounds across the Partnership, and head teachers and primary school staff regularly comment on the positive role that the PlayMakers have within their school – using structured activities, for instance, to reduce both bullying and injuries sustained.” ISS
W:
www.sportsleaders.org
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