Headteachers & Heads of PE Norfolk Special Schools
	5^th September 2002

Dear ,

A ‘Sporting Chance’ for Young Disabled People?

Norfolk Sports Alliance has recently been successful in securing over £1,000,000 from the Sport England Lottery Fund to deliver the Active Sports Programme across the county.

An important part of this is aimed at getting more young disabled people playing sport, developing their skills and having the chance to compete in an enjoyable, positive way.

We know that Special Schools already play a vital role in introducing young disabled people to sport and that your staff have expertise in this area, Active Sports hopes to build on this.

To make sure that the opportunities offered meet the needs of young disabled people we would like the opportunity to discuss the proposals with the school’s staff.

Please find attached a summary of the plans, which it is hoped will be delivered from November this year. Teachers from Special Schools contributed to the plans for Athletics and Cricket through countywide Sports Action Groups and prior to its’ submission the funding bid was put out to consultation with organisations that included the English Federation of Disability Sport.

I appreciate that you’ll be extremely busy at the moment and therefore have copied this letter to the Head of PE to make them aware of our proposals. I would however like to follow up this letter with a personal visit to discuss your response and any other issues you feel are relevant. I will be in touch soon to make the appointment. In the meantime if you have any queries please contact me on 0774 825 8751.

Yours sincerely

James Eason

Active Sports Partnership Manager

Active Sports -A ‘Sporting Chance’ for Young Disabled people?

Active Sports is a development programme funded nationally through the Sport England Lottery Fund and locally through Norfolk Sports Alliance.

Active Sports aims to help young people improve their skills and get more involved in organised sport. It will provide high quality, affordable coaching across Norfolk with chances to compete through Festivals and events like the Norfolk Youth Games

Active Sports is also about achieving greater Sports Equity. Research has shown that some groups, including disabled people, take part in sport less. Active Sports will try to change that.

Active Sports in Norfolk

Background

Planning for Active Sports started with the formation of Norfolk Sports Alliance. The members are Norfolk’s local authorities, including Norfolk Education, and the UEA with each contributing funds. A full time manager was appointed to co-ordinate the programme and the initial funding bid in 2001.

Active Sports targets 10 sports, although many others can access some benefits of the programme. Norfolk is currently focusing on Athletics, Cricket, Girls’ Football and Tennis. We will also be working with Netball, Rugby (Union & League) and Swimming soon.

Funding Success!

The Alliance has recently been awarded over £1,000,000 by the Sport England Lottery Fund towards the cost of delivering Active Sports in Norfolk over the next 7 years. The funding award is based on plans that were put together in consultation with teachers from Norfolk Special Schools and the English Federation of Disability Sport.

Active Sports Proposals 2002-2003

You, the experts working with young disabled people every day, are more aware than anyone of the challenges that keeping them active presents. With your advice and support Active Sports hopes to build upon your achievements, to support what you’re doing and to expand the possibilities for young disabled people in Norfolk.

To Do This We Need Your Help!

To be sure that we make the best use of our funding and make a difference to young disabled people please spend some time looking at the proposals for Active Sports set out below and ask yourself;

• Are they realistic?
• Are we trying to achieve the impossible? Or Are we not ambitious enough?
• What do you think the most important barriers to overcome will be?

Athletics

• Introduce TOP Athletics into Special Schools

(Safe equipment plus

Training for Staff)

• Introduce a Special Schools Sports Hall athletics festival to enable participation all year round.

• Encourage local athletics clubs to be more welcoming towards disabled athletes through links set up with Special Schools.

• Increase the confidence of athletics coaches about working with disabled athletes through awareness training.

Cricket

• Increase opportunities for players with SLD to play Table Cricket by providing coaching sessions at 2 schools that don’t currently provide cricket (in partnership with Kes Sports College). Link these sessions to existing National Table Cricket Competitions.

• Organise a Table Cricket Festival for Special Schools as part of 2003 Norfolk Youth Games.

• Increase opportunities for young people with visual impairment to play cricket through specific ‘taster’ and coaching sessions linked to Eastern Vipers CC and Hethersett CC.

• Encourage young people with MLD to attend coaching courses across the county, assistance with transport costs to be provided.

• Increase the confidence of Cricket coaches about working with disabled athletes through awareness training.

• Encourage ‘Focus’ Cricket clubs to be more welcoming towards disabled cricketers through links set up with Special Schools.

Girls’ Football

• Establish links between Special Schools and ‘mainstream’ Football Clubs willing to use the EFDS ‘Inclusive Sports Club Programme’ as a tool to become more welcoming towards disabled players.

• Increase the confidence of Football coaches about working with disabled athletes through

awareness training.

• Provide 6 week coaching courses to 4 Special Schools linking to the establishment of weekly ‘One to One Ability Counts’ sessions at Norwich City FC.

Tennis

• Increase the numbers of young people with MLD playing tennis through providing 6-week coaching courses at 2 Special Schools.

• Develop Lakenham Tennis Club and KES Tennis Club as Disability Centres.

• Encourage links between Special Schools and Tennis Clubs using TOP Sport Tennis as a tool.

• Increase the number of young people with hearing impairments playing tennis by encouraging attendance at countywide coaching courses. (In partnership with Norfolk Deaf Children’s Society)

• Introduce a Mini-Tennis Festival’ for players with MLD as part of the 2003 Norfolk Youth Games.

Additional Proposals…

Training opportunities for Special School staff to achieve Sport Specific and Generic qualifications…

Opportunities to network and share good practice with professional coaches

Part-time paid employment for lead and assistant coaches.

Remember: Active Sports has secured the funding to underwrite all of the above!