The aim of the Active Schools and the Community Sports Hubs networks is to offer all children, young people and adults opportunities and motivation to adopt active and healthy lifestyles. Both programmes are well established in East Ayrshire and are valued in each locality.
These opportunities are available before, during and after school, as well as in the wider community. Active Schools aims to introduce more physical activity into children's daily lives through active travel, play and dance.
To do this, Active Schools Coordinators in each area of East Ayrshire build a sustainable volunteer infrastructure which includes:
- young leaders
- parents
- college students
- club coaches
- teachers
School and community involvement
Active Schools supports the concept of physical literacy, aiming to see young people engaged in an active lifestyle. Schools have a major role to play, becoming hubs for delivering a varied programme of activities.
Active Schools builds links in the community, allowing pupils to continue developing their sporting experience outside school. This may be as simple as continuing to play a sport socially, or it may result in more serious participation, developing through club structures into competitive sport.
Leadership
Active Schools works with primary and secondary school pupils to develop essential skills through the Leadership programme.
The programme is designed to support young people to develop their skills and experience through sports coaching. It combines sports qualifications or awards with practical experience in a school or club setting, providing vital skills to help pupils flourish in education and their communities. By being part of these programmes pupils have the chance to work alongside Active Schools Co-ordinators to develop transferable skills.
Young ambassadors programme
The Young Ambassadors programme is funded by the National Lottery and Sport Scotland. It is a key element of developing young people as leaders in sport.
Each year two pupils from every secondary school in Scotland have the opportunity to be selected as Young Ambassadors to promote sport, and motivate and inspire other young people to get involved in sport in their schools, clubs and local communities.
Active schools volunteer
Volunteers help to deliver sport and physical activities within the school and community, ensuring that the children and young people have a fun and positive experience.
If you are interested in volunteering or require further information on the Active Schools programme, please email active.schools@east-ayrshire.gov.uk.
Link to national strategies
Active Schools is a key element of the Scottish Government’s commitment outlined in the National Physical Activity Strategy, Let’s Make Scotland More Active. The National Strategy for Sport, Reaching Higher, highlights Active Schools as one of the key successes of Sport 21 (the previous national strategy).
The Active Schools Network has an important role in realising the vision laid out within Reaching Higher. Active Schools also makes a major contribution to the actions laid out for local authorities in this strategy.
Other initiatives
Active Schools contributes to the aims of other initiatives:
- national priorities for education, community, learning and leisure
- curriculum for excellence
- how good is our school
- how good is our community learning and development
- health promoting schools
- schools (health, promotion and nutrition) bill
- local community planning
- integrated children’s services
- cultural strategy and East Ayrshire Leisure
Key outcomes
Key outcomes for Active Schools will be to increase activity amongst:
- girls and young women
- black, minority and ethnic young people
- young people in communities where socio-economic disadvantage is prevalent
- young people who do not currently participate in physical activity
- young people with a disability
