The voluntary sector in sport is the lifeblood of sport in Wakefield District and the country as a whole. Research suggests that there are nearly one and half million volunteers in United Kingdom sport. Volunteers, at all levels, are the backbone of sport in the country.
Many clubs would simply cease to exist without the voluntary contributions of coaches, officials, organisers and other vital helpers. However, the value placed on these workers is, in some cases, underestimated and they are left without appropriate support, trying to do the best they can with limited resources.
What does Wakefield Council do to help?
Advice and Support
The Council provides help and support by encouraging voluntary organisations to improve their facilities and increase their membership.
Funding
The Council provides information and advice on how to access many of the sources of funding available to sport locally and nationally. Some of the organisations providing funding include the Sport England Lottery Fund; Volunteer Investment Programme; Awards for All; Sports Aid, which helps talented youngsters; both able bodied and disabled, to achieve their true potential in their chosen sport. The Foundation for Sports and the Arts has awarded grants to a wide range of projects, from equipment grants to major facilities.
The Football Foundation helps football at all levels. Sportsmatch is an initiative that aims to improve the quality and quantity of business sponsorship to sport, (Sportsmatch now only supports revenue projects and events, not usually capital schemes.)
Please go to the Sports Funding section of this website for further information on sources of sports funding and who to contact for advice on how to submit a good application.
Personal and Club Development
A key factor for volunteers in sport is being able to access quality training and updates. The Council encourages volunteers to attend courses that it organises, such as the Community Sports Leader Award, Sportscoach UK courses and Sports England's Running Sports workshops.
School and Club Links
School-club links can extend the sports to which pupils have access, enabling them to experience a wider selection of sports and provide them with opportunities for progression. Such links are encouraged and facilitated by the Sports and Active Lifestyles Unit and sports development officers.
Child Protection
The Sport and Recreation Unit has identified the need to introduce a Child Protection Policy for the staff it employs; and encourages other organisations to do the same, whether they rely on paid staff or on volunteers. This raises awareness of the issues relating to child abuse and the lines of communication for reporting concerns.
Activate Scheme
The Council provides Activate cards, which are leisure cards available to everyone, offering discounts on a wide range of activities such as fitness classes, badminton, golf and many others. Further information on the Activate Scheme and how to apply for a card is available on this site (see Activate link).
VISION
(Volunteering In Sport In Our Neighbourhood) Scheme
The main aim of VISION is to promote volunteering and the use of volunteers specifically in sport within the Wakefield District. VISION aims to increase the number of volunteers and promote good practice amongst organisations who use volunteers. The council will act as an agency for volunteers, we will identify and recruit volunteers; provide training to develop their skills to a level by where they can volunteer and also place volunteers with community organisations who register as partners of the scheme.
