The Hall of Fame features: Rebecca Adlington, Sarah Stevenson, Lauren Steadman, Katie Clarke, Oliver Hynd and Sarah Barrow, all of whom have represented Great Britain at international level.
Upon completing her AASE Apprenticeship, swimmer, Rebecca Adlington became a household name, winning two gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Olympics.
Swimmers, Oliver Hynd and Lauren Steadman have both represented Great Britain at the Paralympic Games. Oliver secured gold, silver and bronze medals at London 2012, while Lauren Steadman swam in her first Paralympics aged just 15, when she competed in Beijing, in 2008.
Sarah Stevenson became the first British Taekwondo World Champion when she secured the title in 2001 and later went on to become the first Team GB Taekwondo Olympic Medallist when she won bronze at the Beijing 2008 Games.
Katie Clarke and Sarah Barrow are also esteemed AASE graduates. Katie Clarke competed in the Synchronised Swimming final at the London 2012 and Sarah Barrow achieved her goal of being selected for 2012 Olympic Diving Team.
All six AASE graduate cite AASE as an important step in realising their potential and reaching the level of an elite athlete.
Jemma Turner, AASE Programme Manager at SkilsActive commented "It is fantastic opportunity for SkillsActive to highlight just some of our AASE Apprentices' success stories through the National Apprenticeship Service Hall of Fame".
The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) supports, funds and co-ordinates the delivery of Apprenticeships throughout England. They are responsible for increasing the number of Apprenticeship opportunities and providing a dedicated, responsive service for both employers and learners.
Rower Ben Ainslie and cyclist Bradley Wiggins have received Knighthoods, whilst Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey was made a Dame. Also amongst the recipients were Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Victoria Pendleton, David Wier and Katherine Grainger who all received OBEs.
The annual honours list was this year expanded to take into account Britain's highly successful summer of sport. Other notable recipients were Andy Murray, who added his first Grand Slam title to his Olympic medals and Ellie Simmonds who won an impressive 4 medals in the pool during the Paralympics.
The cabinet office reports that awards for sport this year made up 10% per cent of the honours list. In addition to the elite sportsmen and women honoured, those engaged in grassroots sports were also recognised with a BEM going to Christoper Sellars who has been voluntarily coaching swimming at a local pool in Derbyshire five days a week and for over 30 years.
This added recognition for Britain's sporting stars will hopefully go a long way in securing the Olympic and Paralympic legacy. SkillsActive as the Sector Skill Council which covers sport hopes that the success and recognition which these individuals have received will help to further increase sports participation leading up to Rio 2016.
1/5/12
The 'Moving The Nation: Working Together To Get More People Active' event in Craigavon aimed to bring together a number of key experts and agencies to share information relevant to the promotion of physical activity and a healthier lifestyle among the local population, during this summer of sport.
SkillsActive Northern Ireland manager Siobhan Weir (pictured with other delegates) says: “This event was an excellent example of private and public sector organisations coming together to explore how they can all work better together to stop the obesity epidemic. This is a particular issue for NI where one in five adults classified as obese.”
Health Minister Edwin Poots told the conference: “All Departments, agencies, groups and individuals have a responsibility to ensure that the decisions which are made and the actions taken, work in the best interests of the population of Northern Ireland. We cannot work in isolation. Physical activity is a vital part of maintaining and promoting good personal health. Being active is as important as having a nutritious diet when it comes to helping maintain a healthy weight. Participating in physical activity, either for sport or a leisure activity, such as walking or gardening, can also help promote good mental health and wellbeing.”
Dr Hassan from the Ulster Sports Academy discussed the defining features of the Games, a critical interpretation of the much-vaunted concept of ‘legacy’ and the political implication of hosting the summer Olympics in the UK for the first time in over 60 years.
Dr Conor McClean spoke about modern trends in public health such as the increase in chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. The development of these conditions is, in many cases, linked to lifestyle factors as poor diet and physical inactivity.
Conference organiser, Richie Smith of Unify Global Sport, an organisation specialising in community sport festivals, added: “Increased levels of physical activity of the population will not only relieve the financial burden on the health service, but it will also increase and maximise productivity and the performance of Northern Ireland’s workforce. In this Olympic year we have a great opportunity to encourage more people to engage in physical exercise which will enhance the local economy and the life of local communities.”
28/3/12
SkillsActive, which manages the Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund, a programme that aims to increase the number of Londoners working and volunteering in the sports sector, co-hosted the third annual Fitter Schools Games Legacy event with Fit for Sport, the UK's Leading Healthy Lifestyle Activities Provider.
More than 1,500 children from six London schools attended the event, enjoying a range of activities and learning about healthy lifestyles. It was delivered by Fit for Sport Healthy Activity Lifestyle Educators and 100 volunteers who have received subsidised training through the Mayor’s Sport’s Legacy Fund in areas such as coaching, officiating and refereeing.
The participating schools were: St Christians, Graze brook, Christchurch Brondsbury, St Stephens, Southfields, and St James St Michaels School
19/3/12
Richard Ross, 47, and Charlie Hefford, 27, both from Surrey, will each volunteer 10 days of their time during this summer's event. Richard will be based at Wimbledon and Charlie will be an events team leader at the Olympic Park.
More than 240,000 applied to the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) Games Maker volunteering roles, and only 70,000 were accepted.
Richard said: "It's a dream come true. I have always felt that volunteering is up my street because I think I am good with people and helping others, so thumbs up to LOCOG for having us. It has been a long time waiting to find out but now I am really looking forward to it and can't wait for it all to start."
Charlie said: "I remember when we first found out we would be sitting interviews that only ten per cent of the 100,000 interviewed would get a role. There were ten of us sat around the table who had applied and I remember thinking, 'Oh no, only one of us here is going to get accepted'."
Richard and Charlie applied for the roles after completing SkillsActive’s Personal Best programme. The programme, which ended in March 2011, provided 6000 long term unemployed people with a level 1 award in event volunteering and volunteer experience as well as the chance to volunteer at the 2012 Games. About 15% of those that completed the programme applied to become Games Makers.
Lizzie Kemp, project coordinator at Sussex Downs College, which delivered the programme in Surrey and Thames Valley, says: “We are so excited for them at being given this lifetime opportunity and very proud to have been part of their journey.”
James Emmett, Head of Employer Engagement at SkillsActive, says: “Many of the people that took part in Personal Best struggled to find work because they lacked relevant experience or the right skill set. We’re proud Richard and Charlie gained the confidence, through our programme, to apply for this amazing experience. This will, I’m sure, be the start of great things for them both.”
Richard and Charlie, who are both residents of the Grange, a support centre that helps people with learning disabilities live independent lives, will complete an extensive training course this month to help them prepare for their roles.
To learn more about the projects and programmes SkillsActive is involved with see Projects and Programmes
12/3/12
SkillsActive, which manages the Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund, a programme that aims to increase the number of Londoners working and volunteering in the sports sector, is co-hosting the third annual Fitter Schools Games Legacy event in partnership with Fit for Sport, the UK's Leading Healthy Lifestyle Activities Provider.
More than 1,500 children from eight London schools will attend the event, enjoy a range of activities and learn about healthy lifestyles.
The Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund hopes to create a grassroots sporting legacy from the 2012 Games. Project manager, Katie Couchman says: “Thanks to the Mayor’s Sport’s Legacy Fund, more than 10,000 Londoners have gained new skills and are now supporting people in their local communities – like the children at this event - to get involved, and stay involved, in sport. I’m delighted we can support the Fitter Schools Games Legacy event in such a practical way, and help young people learn the value of a healthy, active lifestyle.”
Fit for Sport CEO and Founder, Dean Horridge says: “Fit for Sport is committed to engaging more young people in the 2012 Games, through participation. We hope this event demonstrates that, with a little effort and commitment, thousands of young people can be given the chance to participate in sport – developing a lasting legacy from the 2012 Games.”
The event will be delivered by Fit for Sport Healthy Activity Lifestyle Educators and 100 volunteers who have received subsidised training through the Mayor’s Sport’s Legacy Fund in areas such as coaching, officiating and refereeing.
Interested Londoners can apply online for up to 75% off the cost of nationally recognised qualifications in areas such as coaching and officiating, community sport, volunteering, leisure and health, in exchange for volunteering hours.
To find out more about the Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund and the range of discounted training on offer please visit www.skillsactive.com/mayorslegacy
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A Leeds student has his sporting career mapped out with his dream of competing at the 2016 Olympics becoming a real possibility, which he attributes to the inspirational guidance he has received from SkillsActive’s Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE).
Jack Bateson from Pool In Wharfedale, near Leeds has been boxing since he was 9 years old, encouraged by his Dad and Uncle who have been coaching the sport as far as he can remember. He recalls the day a letter arrived to invite him to apply for the AASE programme and never looked back, making the move from his new sixth form college to join Bradford College.
“The programme has helped me so much, I’m really sad to be leaving at the end of this year; I’ve had such a strong network of support. I have learned a huge amount about what it takes to reach the top and perform to the best of your ability, the coaching team have been fantastic.
“AASE has helped me to plan for the future and set my career plans, with short, medium and long term goals through to the 2016 Olympics.”
Created by SkillsActive and funded by the Skills Funding Agency, AASE is a sports performance programme for young talented athletes. It’s designed to directly measure an athlete’s ability to plan, apply and evaluate their development in the appropriate technical, tactical, physical and psychological aspects of their sport. It also addresses wider issues such as lifestyle, career development, communication and health and safety.
Jack enjoyed a unique trip to Tenerife through the AASE Boxing programme last August, training at high altitude with young boxers from all over the UK. They experienced firsthand a different training environment that opened his eyes to training in different ways, including running up mountains.
He is currently training in the England Youth squad and is looking forward to the second stage trials for the GB Senior Development squad that will be selected over the next few months. The GB squad will meet regularly in Sheffield with the ultimate goal of competing at the 2016 Olympics and beyond.
Alongside his career in boxing, Jack Bateson 17 explains that the AASE programme has helped him plan for a career as a PE teacher and he hopes to secure a place at University for the end of this year.
His advice for other young athletes considering a place on the AASE programme to boost their chances of a successful sporting career? Jack said, “I would definitely recommend the AASE programme to anyone, but it’s not an easy ride. It has helped me to juggle my boxing and education in the best possible way and realise that it is only hard work that gets you to the very top.”
Apprentices can access thousands of pounds a year in funded training – SkillsActive can help your business benefit from this, identify how much your staff could be eligible for and negotiate training that meets your needs.
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Find out what it's really like to take on and train and apprentice in the first of a series of blogs by Jill Eaton, director of Stevenage Sporting Futures Team, and apprentice Luke Allen.
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