Training & Funding

Volunteer Training

Team Manager Training
Team Managers are important to clubs that attend competitions or camps locally and away from home as they ensure that athletes are able to participate in a safe and positive environment.  Scottish Swimming has recently re-introduced Team Manager Training, of which there will be three levels:
 
Level 1: Local Competitions
Level 2: Overnight Stays and Travel Abroad
Level 3: National Team Managers

Levels 1 and 2 were piloted in July 2007 and were deemed successful.  These levels are to be rolled out nationally and will be delivered locally to clubs.  Level 3 is due to be piloted by the end of the year.

All three workshops will be three hours in length.

 

Running Sport: Valuing Your Sports Volunteers
The Running Sport: Valuing Your Sports Volunteers workshop is aimed at club executive committees and head coaches.  It looks at volunteer management around the specific areas of recruitment, retention, recognition and rewarding of volunteers.  It’s a practical, interactive workshop where clubs can share ideas.

A pilot of the Running Sport: Valuing Your Sports Volunteers workshop was delivered in Lerwick in August 2007.  It was considered to be very useful to the clubs in attendance, who went away with an action plan of what do to next.

This workshop will be delivered locally to clubs. 

The above workshops will be certificated for the purpose of obtaining CPD points. 

Sports Coach UK’s Safeguarding & Protecting Children Workshop
(Previously known as Good Practice & Child Protection Workshop)

This three hour workshop is suitable for all club volunteers to increase their awareness regarding the essential good practices in working with children.  This workshop explores the Code of Conduct for those in contact with children and provides basic information on recognising child abuse and responding to concerns. 

This workshop is delivered at local level direct to clubs.  If you are interested in attending the workshop please contact your Club Child Protection Officer.

In Safe Hands – Club Child Protection Officer Workshop
‘In Safe Hands’ is a three hour workshop which focuses on helping club to put child protection policies into practice.  This workshop is aimed at Child Protection Officers, and those attending should have first attended sports coach UK’s Safeguarding & Protecting Children workshop.

Subjects covered include legal duties, roles and responsibilities, practical procedures (including the safe recruitment and selection of those who have contact with children in sport) and how to appropriately manage concerns.

As well as exploring the relevant issues through discussion, this course offers practical advice, examples, resources and information about ongoing support available for sports clubs.

Funding

Volunteering Action Fund: Go4V
The Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) is an independent grant-making Trust which invests in voluntary and community based organisations across Scotland.  The VAF receives funding from the Scottish Executive to enable them to support voluntary and community organisations in taking forward social change.

A current initiative under the VAF is GO4Volunteering whose priorities for funding are:

  • training programmes for voluntary management committees
  • training programmes for volunteers

Who is eligible

The grant is aimed at small, local groups with limited funding. Groups will be considered for grants if they have:

  • income below £50,000 per year
  • a signed constitution or set of rules (if you do not have a constitution you should approach your local Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) who will be happy to advise you)
  • a bank account in the name of the group
  • an independent referee who can vouch for the group and has knowledge of the plans for using the grant, such as a community worker or volunteer centre worker.

To find out more information on GO4Volunteering please go to www.volunteeractionfund.org.uk

Awards for All
Awards for All Scotland are supported by the Scottish Arts Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, sportscotland and the Big Lottery Fund.

Grants between £500 and £10,000 are awarded for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.

Priority groups for funding are:

  • New groups
  • Groups with an annual income of less than £20,000
  • First time applicants
  • People under 25
  • People over 65
  • People with disabilities
  • People with mental health concerns
  • Minority groups
  • Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  • LGBT groups
  • Groups working to eliminate sectarianism

For more information and application forms please go to: www.awardsforall.co.uk

If you have any questions regarding any of the training courses detailed please contact Eilidh McCall, Volunteer Development Manager on 01786 466520 or email e.mccall@scottishswimming.com.