A Sporting Chance
Aims and objectives
The aims of the project are to help to achieve the European Lifelong Learning objectives of:
 | New basic skills for all; |
| More investment in human resources; |
| Innovation in teaching and learning; |
| Valuing learning; |
| Rethinking guidance and counselling; |
| Bringing learning closer to home. |
Additional aims include:
| Using major sporting venues as locations or as a stimulus for learning that are attractive to disadvantaged groups; |
| Enabling targeted learners to develop the motivation and self-confidence necessary to engage successfully in lifelong learning and emerging employment opportunities; |
| Creating non-formal learning environments that support the use of innovative and effective teaching and learning methods; |
| Encouraging teachers to develop and deploy methods that encourage/enable autonomous learning skills; |
| Utilising the power of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool to support learning, not just as an end in itself; |
| Developing models that can be disseminated and used successfully across the European Union and beyond; |
| Targeting those individuals who are excluded from vocational education and training including 16-25 year olds without a job and/or qualifications; with literacy, numeracy and/or host country language skills and living within inner city areas/peripheral housing estates. |
Activities and lessons learned
All the partners recruited learners but only two managed to retain all/most of them through to a successful completion. The most successful projects were in Duisburg and Nijmegen where the chosen sport was football. The power of football to engage all sections of the community cannot be underestimated. Through the media local teams have become cultural icons and their star players, important role models. Association with this brand image is attractive to both sexes and even to those uninterested in football as a sport.
Each partner established a local partnership that was effective in supporting the project. However, the most effective partnership was in Nijmegen. The concept provided a vehicle that brought together local organisations (the Regional Onderweis College, the regional council and a social organisation as well as Nijmegen FC) for mutual benefit. As a result the ROC was able to recruit a group of 6-10 learners each term throughout the life of the project and the development of new projects and programmes. In Duisburg the partnership now includes the local arts centre rather than the football stadium and this new location has proved to be very successful in motivating learners.
Each partner saw the value of the new pedagogy, participated in the training and implemented new approaches but if the education partner believes it already has strategies for dealing with the target audience or the target audience are marginal to its principle goals, then integrating a new approach within the mainstream will be difficult.
Achievements
Local partnership: each partner established a partnership between an education organisation (usually a college), a local sporting team and its venue, the area/regional council and other interested groups, which existed for the duration of the project.
Dissemination: Each partner organised local events and participated in national events either in their own country or in one of the partner countries. For example:
| ROC Nijmegen in partnership with NEC Football Club organised a conference to present the concept, which was attended by all but one of their premier league clubs, local and national politicians and the national media. It got coverage on the national TV news and in the press. Flexible Learning Associates Ltd and a representative of Playing for Success made presentations at this event; |
| In the UK, many people visited the Headingley centre to speak to the staff and learners to find out how the concept could be replicated in their location; |
| Partnership meetings were used to make contact with as many local organisations/individuals as possible so as to share ideas and present new models. |
In addition the project ideas and outcomes have been shared with a partner in Greece, AKMI Athens (one of our original partners), Austria, BEST Training Vienna and Poland, Rudzki Inkubator Ruda Slaska.
Materials produced
A Toolkit consisting of 38 pages containing the best practices and innovative strategies for using sporting venues to engage and motivate young adult learners. All partners contributed to this publication. It has been desktop published and is available online at the project website and as a paper-based version. Please visit: http://www.sportingchanceproject.net/toolkit.htm
Sets of assignments: each partner has produced either four separate assignments or one project containing at least four separate activities. These are in the target language of the partner with a summary in English for dissemination purposes and guidance notes indicating how to use them most effectively accompany each one. These assignments are available online at the project website and as paper-based versions. Please visit: http://www.sportingchanceproject.net/assignments.htm
Situation analyses: each partner has produced a detailed analysis report indicating details of the target audience, evaluated evidence at critical stages of the project and information regarding accreditation methods and outcomes. These are in English and are available online at the project website and as a paper-based versions.
Use of ICT: each partner has contributed to a report on how learners, tutors and managers used ICT within the project and indications as to how its uses may be improved. This is available online at the project website and as a paper-based version.
For more information visit the project website: http://www.sportingchanceproject.net/index.htm
Partnership organisations/countries
Four city authorities across Europe have each identified the same issues and agreed to work together to seek solutions. In each of the partner areas a major sporting venue was identified and agreed to work with a local education agency to recruit and sustain learners from these target audiences.
| Nijmegen – ROC/Tandem/NEC Football Club; |
| Leeds - Excellence Challenge/College of Technology/Leeds Rhinos Rugby League club; |
| Lidkoping - Nantwerket/Komvux/Villa Lidkoping Bandy Club; |
| Duisburg - GfB Youth Workshop/MSV Duisburg Football club/Club Kulturbunker e.V.; |
| Flexible Learning Associates Ltd. - Education Consultancy UK. |
Learner involvement
Each partner recruited between 10 and 20 16 to 25 year old learners during two separate phases of the project. The goal was to recruit learners who were disengaged from adult education and present them with an environment and methods that were new and challenging.
Impact
On the organisation, on staff, on adult learners and outside organisations
An external evaluation report conducted by Mr. John O’Brien (Italy) found
that the project:
| Demonstrated a significant level of successful engagements and progress on personal development for the target group; |
| Indicated the use of a sporting venue provides positive role models; |
| Developed sustainable and meaningful local partnerships; |
| Used innovative pedagogical methods and approaches; |
| Was successful and indicated many aspects of good practice. |
Contact details
Name, organisation and address:
Paul Nash
Flexible Learning Associates Ltd
Unit One
18 Piper Road
Ovingham
Northumberland
NE42 6AY
Telephone no.:07813 922285
Email: paul.nash@onetel.net
Classification Data
Focus of project
| Active citizenship | |
| Essential skills | |
| Inter-generational learning | |
| Cultural/multi-cultural | |
| ICT and learning | |
| Foreign languages | |
| Other* |
X |
*The use of new pedagogy and alternative learning locations
Project Type: Grundtvig 1 (Co-operation Projects)
UK Project Base
| East Midlands | |
| East of England | |
| London | |
| North East |
X |
| Northern Ireland | |
| North West | |
| Scotland | |
| South East | |
| South West | |
| Wales | |
| West Midlands | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber |
