Applications for the Nancy Ovens bursary, aimed at coaches or leaders working in the active leisure and learning sector, are once again being accepted.
Having already helped twelve successful applicants over the past two years, SkillsActive is delighted to continue its sponsorship and management of the bursary, on behalf of the Nancy Ovens Trust, into a third year and looks forward to this year’s applications.
The bursary aims to support coaches and leaders from across the active leisure and learning sector in undertaking innovative training experiences that are beneficial to their career or voluntary activity. Up to £2,000 will be awarded to allow individuals to enhance their own skills and knowledge by undertaking studies, work experience or activities outside of their day-to-day jobs.
Offering applicants the opportunity to tailor their own training, bursary applications should show intuitive ideas that demonstrate the motivation and drive of applicants. Applications are therefore flexible in terms of proposed experiences as long as they match the application criteria. The bursary is open to all coaches or leaders within the UK who work in the active leisure and learning sector (sport and recreation, health and fitness, the outdoors, playwork and caravans) who have limited access to training in their work.
Previous awardees have used their funding in a number of ways, some to work with mentors both across the UK and abroad in order to broaden their knowledge base, while others have used the funding to find cover for their day job in order to work voluntarily in the community.
Roger Pickering, a Nancy Oven’s bursar in 2006, used his bursary to take a three month sabbatical from his work to engage with a local Schools Sport Partnership. This involved spending a day in each school in the local area, delivering sports-related sessions to children up to the age of 11.
Speaking about the experience, Roger said; “One of the schools that I spoke to wanted me to come in and run a breakfast club, which included literacy and numeracy taught through sport. The kids saw this big ugly guy who not only plays rugby, but can actually read and write as well. It helped in targeting some of the kids that play sport but weren’t necessarily top of the class.”
Roger was so successful in developing links to coach in local schools that he has left his day job to deliver school coaching on a full time basis at a number of schools in his area, demonstrating the life changing opportunity that the Nancy Ovens bursary can present.
To find out more about this year’s bursary and how to apply, as well as information on previous recipients, visit www.skillsactive.com/nancyovensbursary

posted by glenmore @ 1:00 PM  0 comments

SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS – MINISTER ANNOUNCES SPORTSCOTLAND INVESTMENT

On Monday 10 March Stewart Maxwell MSP, Minister for Communities and Sport joined by Tim Walker, Principal at Glenmore Lodge to announced investment in mountaineering and snowsport through the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and Snowsport Scotland.

Scotland’s mountains are renowned for their beauty and the challenging conditions they provide for walkers, climbers, mountaineers and snowsport enthusiasts. The Minister announced funding to support essential and innovative information services to make Scotland’s mountains safer and more accessible all year round. He also announced investment to support the preparation of Scottish athletes for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

posted by glenmore @ 1:14 PM  0 comments

Yes, it is true. We are are are an approved training camp for the Olympic sports of Road Cycling, Mountain Bike, Triathlon. That is fantastic as we are very proud to support our athletes in any we can.

So be warned, the next time you visit the Lodge, watch out for speed machines on bikes and on the Loch.

posted by glenmore @ 12:30 PM  0 comments