Background
Swansea Council’s Sports Development department requested assistance to deliver programmes in local communities.
The Sports Development department is responsible for the delivery of sports sessions, activities and events in selected primary and secondary schools, as well as local voluntary sporting organisations across Swansea.
Meeting the Challenge
Swansea University’s Employability Academy (SEA) partnered with the Swansea University Students Union, Sport Swansea and Swansea Council to establish an unique ‘SportSPIN’ project – an 8 week paid sports internship for students who have an interest in sports coaching as a graduate career.
The project saw three students from Swansea University - Mali Colloredo, Hugo Vivash and Ffion Hopkins - assist Swansea Council’s community sports coaches to deliver programmes in local schools and communities, for two months, part-time, alongside their studies.
Successful Outcomes
The project allowed Swansea Council to deliver more sessions in more primary schools across Swansea with the SportSPIN placement students running football, netball and multi-skills sessions for 196 pupils across one secondary school and four primary schools over an eight-week period.
As well as benefiting Swansea Council, the project also allowed the SportSPIN placement students to gain valuable experience and improve their skills before setting out on careers in coaching.
“The SportSPIN placement has highlighted the necessity of such work and the impact it can have. This project not only allowed us to delivery in more primary schools across Swansea, but it has also allowed the SportSPIN placement students to showcase their skills.” Robyn Lock, Active Young People Officer, Swansea Council
“The placement taught me that coaching is a career I want to pursue and that it is a very rewarding career. SportSpin gave me the opportunity to work with fully qualified coaches which was very useful in gaining ideas of how to run sessions and how to be an all-round good coach. The placement has given me further encouragement to complete my football coaching badges as I know that this is the career path I want to go down.“ Mali Colloredo
“I learnt a variety of coaching techniques/skills which helped me to deliver effective sessions. I gained lots of valuable experience, working with a wide range of children aged 4-9 and delivering sessions in multiple different sports, increasing my versatility when coaching.” Hugo Vivash
“I believed it helped develop my skills as a netball coach but also for other sports as this experience allows you to help teach various sports and activities. Without this placement, I would have never have got the opportunity to work abroad during the summer.” Ffion Hopkins
If you think your organisation could benefit from taking on a student placement please contact us