Education

EDUCATION PROGRAMMES WITH DIRECT

DIRECT support a number of projects within both primary and secondary schools in Doncaster. We look at developing young people's skills in all areas as can be seen by the projects we have been involved with below:-
 

SPORTS ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE

The Sports Enterprise Challenge is a unique project which allows young people to take responsibility for key areas of Doncaster Knights match-day management. Three key areas of the business are covered with the schools in the run up to the game; Merchandise, VIP Hospitality and Press & PR.

Working with Year 10 students, the Enterprise Challenge gives students an insight into the workings of a professional sports club, allowing them to consider their own career path whilst at the same time having fun by getting "hands on" during the project.

Whether it be designing, purchasing and selling merchandise, inviting VIP guests and learning about table dressings or learning how to make a podcast and the difference between good and bad interview techniques, the Enterprise Challenge is always a hit with participants and teachers alike.

RFU YOUNG LEADERS
 

After securing funding through the South Yorkshire Sport Unlimited Innovation scheme, we have successfully run two Rugby Leaders' courses. This course enables young people to deliver tag rugby alongside a qualified coach and referee small sided games. Students from Hayfield School and Trinity Academy have attended and will hopefully become valuable volunteers for us in the future. The rugby can be delivered as a bolt-on to the National Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) or as a stand-alone course.

If anyone is interested in this course, please contact the DIRECT team.

INCLUSIVE RUGBY ABILITY AWARDS
 

Doncaster Knights and the DIRECT charity are introducing a new set of coaching and awards aimed at youngsters who attend special needs schools. Castle Park has been the venue for inclusive rugby for a long time now, with first team players taking it in turns to coach special needs youngsters supported by staff from schools and coaches from DIRECT. The children’s favourite coach Simon Grainger pushed this coaching on until eventually the whole of the first team took part in the regular sessions.

Discussion between DIRECT’s Ali Wood and Pennine View teacher John Wallbank (Head of PE) led to the development of all the children involved and from this came the Ability Rugby Awards.

DIRECT are running a pilot of this project at a special needs school in Doncaster and will be looking to roll it out to all 5 special needs schools next summer. The idea of the ARAs is to engage more disabled children in rugby and break down some of the barriers that are associated with disabilities and rugby. With the history of hosting inclusive rugby sessions, these sessions are proved successful for all of the youngsters involved.

A set criteria of skills that a child will be judged on has been agreed in conjunction with John Wallbank, ranging from the basics of placing a ball over the try line to the movement of the ball from the back of a scrum out to the wing via a series of passes. Five levels of ability have been set and the children will look to achieve the best level they can, and even have a chance to improve their level after the programme ends.

After completion of these skills children will be awarded a certificate depending on the levels they have achieved. The awards start at ‘beginner’ and include skills such as being able to throw and catch a ball on their own and finish at ‘international’ where children will be able to display a level of understanding of terminology associated with rugby and be able to referee a small game of Tag. Coaching of the skills will be linked in with the ARAs project so children can progress. Another thing DIRECT would like to do is leave a legacy after the project, providing a kit bag, complete with tags, balls, bibs and cones so the 'international' quality students can run teacher-supervised sessions with new youngsters. These children can then progress to take their own ARA’s.

‘For DIRECT to be able to do this we will need a sponsor”, commented Ali.

‘We would love to have a company to support us on this worthwhile campaign and we have proved it works because special schools are already registering their interest.”

‘By sponsoring this scheme it will allow us to leave a kit bag in the school after the programme is complete and the company's logo will appear on every certificate and piece of kit.’

If you are interested in getting involved with this, please contact Ali Wood on awood@castle-park.co.uk.