Rebecca Martin-Stevenson and James Gosling are the first Apprentices to be recruited by Millers’ Community Sports Trust, with funding provided by Rotherham’s One Town One Community and the Football Foundation.
Rebecca and James are working with the community sports coaches to visit schools and youth and community centres across the borough and inspire young people with a love of football, as well as providing practical coaching skills for a wide range of sports.
Rebecca, 17 and from Mexborough, has recently completed a BTEC first Diploma in Sports at Dearne Valley College, as well as playing lots of sport in her spare time and James, 20 and from Wath-on-Dearne, has a real passion about sport and helping young people.
Rebecca Martin-Stevenson said: “I am really loving my apprenticeship so far. The best part is going into the schools and working with the children to help them improve their abilities in sport and really achieve something. I also enjoy taking part in the Right to Read programme, working with pupils to help them to improve their reading skills. I am also looking forward to getting out into the community and helping even more people to take part in sports and get fit and healthy.”
Rebecca and James are now undertaking their NVQ Level 2 in Sports Leadership and Instruction, with a further eight Apprentices due to join the Millers Community Sports Trust by the end of the year.
The funding has also paid for an Education Officer to recruit and train the 10 Apprentices for three years towards their nationally recognised Sports Coaching qualification. Over the coming months, the programme will be joined by eight more Apprentices from different backgrounds, including women, special needs and BME (Black Minority Ethnic) groups, as well as those described as NEETS – Not in Employment, Education and Training.
The role of the Apprentices, in conjunction with Millers Community Sports Trust’s experienced coaches is to engage some of the town’s hardest to reach young people.
Cllr Mahroof Hussain, Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues said: “This unique Apprentices programme will make a huge difference to the number of young people who can enter sports-related roles in Rotherham. Sport helps to bring people together to overcome barriers and create a more united community, where we can shares experiences and celebrates our differences. We are really excited about watching this scheme develop over the next three years.”
Millers' Head of Community Dale Spiby said: "We are really pleased to welcome our first two apprentices to this very important programme. Rebecca, James and others like them will be given a platform to develop into sports coaches where they can aspire to work at a national or international level."
The Millers' Community Sports Trust has a proven track record in providing a high quality learning environment for Modern Apprentices, there are currently seven young people completing Modern Apprenticeship frameworks; Coaching, Teaching and Instruction, whilst working for the Trust. A recent success story and local recognition for the Trust came when Community Coach Nathan Carlin picked up 'Apprentice of the Year' at the recent Children and Young Peoples Service awards ceremony.
One Town, One Community is about creating a feeling of belonging to one community here in Rotherham, where individuals demonstrate unity, mutual understanding and shared values, celebrating our differences and what binds us all together.
For more information on One Town, One Community, visit the website www.rotherham.gov.uk.
2011-01-28