Home educated youngsters have been participating in a host of activities at some of the region’s top class venues thanks to £8,929 Awards for All funding.
Parents and carers of children who are taught at home set up the Home Educators Sport Access Group in June last year to encourage youngsters to take part in leisure activities, to learn about the benefits of leading healthy lifestyles, to gain qualifications and to visit facilities managed by Sheffield International Venues (SIV).
In partnership with SIV, the group successfully applied for lottery funding, which they have since invested in a 40-week programme of athletics, swimming, gymnastics, football, ice skating and trampolining at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, iceSheffield and Don Valley Stadium.
Youngsters interested in becoming rookie lifeguards can access SIV-run courses to further their skills. The cash injection also allows the group, some of which have special needs, to hire facilities at local community centres and equipment for indoor and outdoor games.
Rhu Alred, treasurer of the Home Educators Sport Access Group, said: “Working in partnership with SIV we managed to secure our lottery bid for funding to make this a reality. It has been an amazing opportunity to bring our group of home educated youngsters together in a structured but nurturing environment in which they have taken part in different activities. They have also learnt about rules, discipline and participation backed up by classroom activities where they have learned about the human body and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
The group is now looking forward to taking part in curling at iceSheffield and gymnastics at Don Valley Stadium throughout January.
Minnie Martindale, 13, is part of the home educated group. She said: “Trying different sports with friends has been great because we get the opportunity to do something active and fun together. I’ve had the opportunity to improve my swimming and I enjoyed the ice skating so much I asked for skates for Christmas.”
Rob Womack, funding and grants manager at SIV, said: “Because this group of youngsters don’t attend mainstream school, they don’t have access to the sporting facilities and equipment that many other children do. The Awards for All funding means we can provide this group with access to SIV’s top-class facilities, which we hope will inspire them to participate in more leisure activities in future.”
