Young sports leaders from across Aberdeen have taken part in the city’s first in-person Young Ambassadors development day, designed to help them make a difference to sport in their schools.
A group of 20 pupils took part in the event, organised by Active Schools at Adventure Aberdeen. The session brought together Young Ambassadors from academies including Bucksburn, Dyce, St Machar, Northfield, Bridge of Don, Oldmachar, Aberdeen Grammar School, Lochside Academy and Hazlehead.
It was the first time Active Schools Aberdeen has brought Young Ambassadors from across the city together in one room and created a dedicated local programme around sportscotland’s national online Young Ambassadors workshop.
Funded by The National Lottery, the initiative gives young people the opportunity to take on leadership roles and help shape sporting opportunities within their schools.
Up to two pupils from every secondary school in Scotland can be selected each year and are encouraged to promote sport, inspire other young people to get involved and ensure pupils have a voice in how school sport develops.
The Aberdeen event began with the online workshop, hosted by sportscotland, and was led by former Young Ambassadors. The session explored what the role involves, the skills and qualities young people can bring to it, the support available to them and how they can encourage greater participation in sport.
Active Schools extended the programme with an afternoon of face-to-face workshops, allowing the pupils to work together, share ideas and develop practical plans to take back to their schools.
Rebekah Singer, Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools Coordinator, said, “This is the first time we’ve brought Aberdeen’s Young Ambassadors together and built our own local development programme around the national sportscotland workshop.
“We felt there was a real opportunity to add something by having everyone in the same room. It meant the young people could talk to their peers from other schools, compare ideas and learn from each other.”
During the afternoon, the ambassadors explored six key areas where they can influence school sport: PE, extracurricular activity, school sport competition, links with community sport, celebrating sporting achievement and leadership opportunities for young people.
They also considered some of the practical challenges they may face in the role, from finding time to meet with a busy school co-ordinator to encouraging pupils to attend a new club or activity.
Rebekah added: “Every school is different, so there isn’t only one way to be a Young Ambassador. One school might ask for its ambassadors to help launch an extracurricular club, while another might involve them in-house competitions, celebrating sporting achievements or finding ways to involve pupils who do not currently participate in physical activity.
“The important thing is that young people have a voice. They can tell us what their fellow pupils want, what might encourage others to get involved and where they think opportunities could be improved.
“The role also gives them the chance to develop really valuable leadership skills and the confidence to work alongside staff to make their ideas happen.”
Active Schools Aberdeen now hopes to explore opportunities for previous ambassadors to remain involved and support pupils who are new to the role.
“We would love to build on this first event and create a stronger network across Aberdeen, where experienced ambassadors can share what they’ve learned and support those who are just starting out.
“The response to bringing everyone together has been really positive, so we hope this can become something we build on in future years.”
The Young Ambassadors programme began in 2012 and has supported thousands of young people across Scotland to develop as leaders in sport.
For more information on Active Schools visit www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/activities/active-schools