Sports 4 Success

 

 

Sports 4 Success will start again on Wednesday 1st February 2012. The club takes place on Wednesdays between 2 and 3.30.

Sports 4 Success finished its autumn run on December 14th with games on the pitch and a party in the canteen.

"I always leave with a really good feeling after the day". A comment from one of the St. Pat's volunteers....

 

Pictured below: the children working and playing with the St. Pat's volunteers, autumn 2011

 

Sports 4 Success finished a very successful 2010-2011 run on Wednesday 13th April 2011 and as a gesture of appreciation to the Pat's students who had worked with the children since last October, we were invited to visit the participating school, St. Vincent's BNS, North William Street. Seven of the volunteers were available to come. A lovely lunch was provided and the volunteers were presented with certificates from the school principal, Pat Courtney. They then spent some time with 'their' boys in class before returning to the college for the last session of Sports 4 Success.

Lisa, Kate and Stephanie with some of the boys

Pat Courtney addressing the Pat's students

 

Background

Sports 4 Success is an innovative Mentor Programme for primary level pupils operating at various third level institutes throughout the country. The Programme uses the medium of sport to encourage a change in attitudes to learning while improving self-esteem and social skills. The issues of education, health, physical ability, life skills, and social skills are collectively addressed through the medium of sport. The pupils are invited onto the campus at St. Pat’s on an after-school programme which includes a meal at the canteen, homework support and some sporting activity.  The homework support involves using specially designed worksheets which use sport as a theme based on the primary curriculum.

It was founded by John McCarthy a former Maths and Science teacher from Limerick. He spent 11 years in Moscow during the end of the Cold War period as founder of a very large retail and trading company. For many years John has had a keen interest in sports and has been an active participant in Gaelic games, soccer, rugby and athletics. After returning to Ireland from Moscow, John set up his own consultancy business for Eastern Europe. In September 2000, John drew on his past experience in Education and Sport and established Sports 4 Success. John was one of the awardees for entrepreneur of the year in 2005 by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland for his work with Sports 4 Success.

Today John is involved in 31 different schools throughout the country.

The 'lads' from Holy Spirit BNS at Sports 4 Success with their teacher Clare (on the far right) and students Kimberley, Aisling and Annie

 

Programme Aims

The aim of the Programme is to provide an opportunity for pupils from Ballymun to visit a third level environment and encourage them to consider third level education as part of their own future. For the students of St. Pat’s it provides an opportunity to develop your skills in dealing with children, in preparation for your future careers as teachers or elsewhere. It provides a particular opportunity to build relationships with children who may be experiencing educational disadvantage.

Structure of the Programme

 The Programme is divided into three 30-minute sections:

          -  30 minutes playing sport

          -  Hot food break for pupils and mentors at the canteen

          -  The pupils spend the final 30 minutes working on their homework or work sheets supported by their mentors.

Your role as a Mentor

Your role in the visits is to act as a mentor for the pupils, on a very casual basis.  The idea is to provide a mentor who is not in a position of authority to engage their interest in education.  Tell the kids about what it’s like to go to college, why you decided to choose your course of study, let them know about what college life in general.  You will find the kids will be anxious to let you know all about their lives at school as well. This should be a good learning experience in terms of finding out what makes children respect particular teachers. At the homework section the pupils can work with their own homework or the worksheets provided, your role is to offer support with this work.  The class teacher will be on hand throughout the visit to lend support if needed and you can call Valerie should anything go pear shaped! A tour of the college will also be organised for the pupils on their final visit. 

Stops on the tour may include: the Library, the Resource Centre, the Auditorium, the Students Union and the Gym.  Your role here is just to show them around your college.

In the library with Ronan Kelly

Indoor football

 

Support for Volunteers

It’s important that the experience is an enjoyable one for everyone involved, so if you have any questions or difficulties  or suggestions over the course of the Programme,  please get in touch with the Educational Disadvantage Centre,  Valerie at office E229 Ext. 2021

Some Suggestions

• Think about what you can do to encourage children of lesser sporting ability to engage in the sport section.
• If a plan changes, e.g. no homework to do, use the worksheets or art materials that will be left in the Seomra Caidrimh.
• Engage with the children; tell them about yourself and your experience of college life.
• Break them into small groups for the homework session; we have enough volunteers to give full-on attention.
• Be aware if the other children are excluding any child and do your best to include him.
• Scatter yourselves among the children during the food break; part of the dynamic of the Programme is to engage with the children and show them your view of college life.

Some comments from previous volunteers:

"I gained a better understanding of how the children act and the way their relationship between each other works."

"Enjoyable, worthwhile for both the students and the children."

"I have gained more confidence in explaining and teaching."

 

Last Updated: Thursday January 05 2012