The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure’s, Sports Development Unit has launched the third year of the Sure Sports Leaders Programme at the Island’s Secondary Schools.
 
Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, Graham Cregeen MHK, said: ‘Enriching the lives of the Island’s young people through sport and physical activity is a key objective for the Department. I am grateful to Sure Cable and Wireless for their continued support of the Sports Leaders Programme. Thanks to this support and the hard work of the Sports Development Unit, Sports Leaders and local schools, the Sure Sports Leaders Programme continues to provide fantastic opportunities to experience a wide variety of sports.  Through schemes like this the Island’s young people are more active, more often.’
 
Paul McCarthy from Sure said: ‘We are proud to sponsor this great initiative. Sure have always been keen to promote development in young people with events like Sure Apprentice and Sure Strike.  The Sure Sports Leaders Programme is a fantastic way of giving young people motivation to become confident leaders and it is such a pleasure to see them giving up their free time to support our community.’
 
The Sure Sports Leaders Programme provides students who are 16 - 18 years old with free education and training in a variety of different sports in addition to generic aspects of leadership, coaching and child development. Once completed, these students are encouraged to help and assist deliver after school sports clubs at nearby primary schools. This will develop their experience and enhance their leadership, communication, planning, and organisation skills.
 
This year the programme attracted 70 sports leaders from all secondary schools across the Island.  These Leaders have delivered a combined total of 1,227 hours of voluntary coaching. This has made a significant impact on the provision of sports coaching both in primary schools and in community sports clubs.