Wiltshire College Sportivate projects


Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) have worked with the College Sports Development Officers and NGBs this year to assign funding for students to take part in some new sports projects. As a result of Sportivate funding and the partnership work, the College have had football, basketball, golf, Zumba, hockey, disability multi-sport, netball, tennis, table-tennis and touch rugby sessions for the students to be able to participate in.


Wiltshire College SEN / Disability Sports Festival


project also provided a fantastic opportunity to work in partnership with Wiltshire Council and their Sports development team. The students involved were fortunate to work with 2 very experienced specialist disability sports coaches Rob Paget and Matt Pearson.


Wiltshire College is the main provider of further and higher education in Wiltshire, with an excellent reputation for quality provision, innovation and student care. The College benefits from having 2 x Sports Development Officers (Debbie Hill and Lauren Smith) and they are responsible for promoting sport and physical activity for students attending College at Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham & Lackham campuses. Debbie and Lauren identified that there was a greater need for sporting opportunities for students enrolled on foundation studies programmes, an entry level course that the College provide for learners who require additional support. Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) supported Wiltshire College to apply for Sportivate funding that enabled them to deliver 3 x 6 week multi- sport projects targeted at foundation students at all 4 x campuses. The


Before the Sportivate project started, it was agreed that a greater emphasis on proving additional sporting opportunities needed to be made within the College. To support this aim, staff working on the Foundation Studies Course received informal training on how to engage learners in sport and how to deliver a range of games and activities. Matt and Rob then delivered projects at the various Colleges with participants experiencing 6 week multi- sport sessions, with activities including boccia, seated volleyball and dodgeball. Staff involved in the programme were able to be mentored and co-coach sessions so they could further develop their coaching skills. As a result, after the projects finished, participants continued to access weekly sessions at the College and were also encouraged to attend Adult Fit Clubs that Wiltshire Council run at different sites around the county (for further details of venues and times please email robert.paget@wiltshire.gov.uk). Since the initial 6 week multi-sport projects


delivered by Matt and Rob, the project has grown and has been embedded into the College with students from the BTEC sport courses at Wiltshire College receiving training from Matt. After the training, students on the BTEC course have coached students on the foundation studies programme in a voluntary capacity. Due to the success of these sessions, they were recruited to coach at the SEN Multi-Sport Festival at Trowbridge College.


The SEN Festival took place on the 15 May and was co-ordinated by the College Development Officers and was over seen by Rob and Matt. Students from the BTEC Diploma in Sport led 4 activity stations in the morning that focused on participation, these included; basketball, seated volleyball, boccia and adapted football. In the afternoon the students experienced competitive sport and got the opportunity to compete against fellow learners from different campuses. The festival was a huge success and provided students from the foundation courses with a range of positive sporting and social experiences.


The festival was also a huge success from the Colleges perspective, as it supported the development of students on the BTEC sport course. As well as providing a fantastic opportunity for students not only to gain valuable experience with coaching a range of activities, the


12 Wiltshire and Swindon Relay


sessions also supported their overall qualifications as they were observed and assessed by college tutors. WASP are really proud of this project and the impact it has had on students at Wiltshire College.


WASP would like to thank Wiltshire Council for their support with this project and are hopeful that this project can set a precedent for promoting sport and physical activity for students on foundation courses at Wiltshire College in the future.


“Congratulations to everyone who was involved in the SEN Multi- Sport Activity day for students from


Foundation courses at Wiltshire College Trowbridge Campus on


15 May. I was impressed with what I saw and made me smile to think that between Wiltshire College Staff, Wiltshire College Students, Wiltshire Council and WASP we have all played a part in providing fantastic opportunities for all the students involved”


Rich Ayling, Sports Consultant Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP)


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