TACKLING NUMBERS PROGRAMME SHORTLISTED FOR TOP AWARD
We’re delighted to announce that Tackling Numbers has been shortlisted for the Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme in the Card & Payment Awards.
Tackling Numbers, taken by Geoff Caddick/PA Wire
Tackling Numbers is an interactive numeracy programme for young children, developed and delivered by Premiership Rugby in partnership with MBNA. The five week programme aims to teach 8-9 year olds the importance of number skills in everyday life.
Rugby is a social game that unites and brings people from all over the world together, and so it’s great to see rugby’s ability to engage with children being used to engage kids in the classroom. The programme utilizes the power of rugby to promote the understanding and learning of numeracy in a fun and enjoyable way, and the classroom sessions are supported by practical PE sessions that unite an active mind with an active body.
The winner will be announced on 1st February 2012, so check back then to find out if we’ve won!
Tackling exclusion through HITZ
HITZ is a high profile programme that is based in the heart of inner city estates, targeting young people at risk of exclusion and anti social behaviour. It introduces them to tag, touch and contact rugby and encourages them to take their game further.
HITZ session
I have seen for myself the huge impact that HITZ has on young people’s lives.
For example, John* first picked up a rugby ball when he was sixteen, a year and a half ago. He had never played the game before, and was uncertain in himself and in his skills. Now John is going into schools to coach younger children, gaining leadership and coaching experience as well as developing his own rugby skills.
In another case, Chantelle* previously didn’t think that girls could play rugby. When she first joined HITZ earlier this year, she was quiet, shy and withdrawn. Six months on, she bounds into each session, grin on her face. Her mother and teachers alike can’t believe how much confidence she has changed – “she’s like a totally different person now”.
These are just a couple of examples of the ways in which HITZ impacts positively lives of those young people that take part in the sessions, which are run at key times after school.
It is not just the participants who make the sessions special though – the dedicated rugby players who run them have developed a deep understanding of the young people they are working with.
They develop working relationships with the teachers in the local schools, get to know the participant’s peers and take a genuine interest in their lives – from their GSCE results to advising them when they are in trouble.
And some of them are in trouble – it is thought around a third of those participating in the sessions were known to the police. The sessions tackle social exclusion as well as delivering health outputs. Running sessions with the Met police encourage stronger relationships between the police and young people, helping bridge the gaps that seemed evident in the recent riots across the UK.
This, combined with teaching participants how to develop their emotions (a huge 73 per cent say that the sessions has helped them control their anger), means that the young people taking part are able to feel part of their communities, and reduces their likelihood of offending.
It is telling that HITZ is getting bigger – more young people are taking part and going on to coach themselves, more teachers are coming to us thrilled with the effect that HITZ is having on individuals in their classes, and more sessions being run throughout London boroughs – and I am looking forward to it becoming bigger still.
*names have been changed to protect identities
Saracens announced as winners of Premiership Rugby Community Club of the Year award
We are delighted that last week’s Premiership Rugby Parliamentary Rugby Community Awards saw Saracens score the Club of the Year award for the third year running.
Their secret?
The judges felt that the club’s reach – 75,000 people engaged over one year, with 25 separate programmes and almost 27,000 hours of community work – was so wide that it stood out from the other entries.
Also named as winners on the night were Bath Rugby and Bristol Rugby in the Innovation and Impact categories respectively.
Bath Rugby won the Innovation award for their Women and Girls programme, which works with girls and women age seven plus. The judges felt the increased opportunities provided for a group that is traditionally difficult to engage in sport made this a winning entry.
Bristol Rugby won the Impact award for their Inferno programme, which re-engages young offenders and youths with behavioural problems with education, employment and sport. With youth crime costing UK taxpayers £23million per week, the judges felt the impact this programme had on young people’s lives and the wider community was highly impressive.
The three winning clubs battled for top places after being shortlisted alongside Leicester Tigers (Aviva Club of the Year) and Worcester Warriors (Land Rover Impact Award and MBNA Innovation Award) in the first round of the awards, which are dedicated to highlighting best practice in community rugby.
The community team feel very priviledged to be working with such inspirational clubs, who truly make a difference to their local areas and beyond.
Dr. Keith Gilbert talks about the Premiership Rugby Community Awards
Following a very successful first round judging session for this year’s Premiership Rugby Parliamentary Rugby Community Awards, Dr Keith Gilbert shares his views on the importance of sport in the community.
Premiership Rugby Community Awards shortlist announced
We are delighted to announce the six finalists for the Premiership Rugby Parliamentary Rugby Community Awards. The awards aim to praise the best community programmes from the 12 Aviva Premiership Clubs.
Clubs entered into three awards; the MBNA Impact award, the Land Rover Innovation award and the Aviva Club of the Year award.
The quality of entries this year was very high, and the judges were impressed with the breadth of programmes. However, there could only be two finalists in each category, and these are:
MBNA Innovation Award
- Bristol Rugby: Inferno. This programme addresses poor conduct and behaviour as well as low educational attainment in Youth Offending Institutions, Secure Units and Pupil Referral Units.
- Worcester Warriors: Midlands Ladies Touch League. This league was launched to encourage and engage more women in taking part in rugby union, as it became clear there was a lack of opportunities for women to play rugby in the region
Land Rover Impact Award
- Bath Rugby: Women and Girls Programme. This is the largest and best established female rugby club in the country, which increases opportunities for female access to physical exercise.
- Worcester Warriors: In Touch. This project works with young people with few or no qualifications and those at high risk of long term unemployment, helping then gain skills, respect and discipline and introducing key skills and qualifications.
Aviva Club of the Year Award
- Leicester Tigers
- Saracens
The shortlisted clubs will now go through to a second round of judging in Parliament, where they will present their cases for why they feel they should win their award. Although we have no idea yet who will win from each category, one thing is beyond dispute – all of the clubs going forward to the final are at the forefront of what they do.
It will be a tough job deciding between them when it comes to the final in July, and we are looking forward to seeing the results.
The Premiership Rugby Community Awards will be presented at a drinks and canapés reception on the 6th July at Portcullis House.
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About Professional Rugby in the Community
I'm Wayne Morris, Community Manager for Premiership Rugby. This blog is a place for me and the Community Development Officers from around Aviva Premiership Rugby to share the community work our clubs are doing and talk about some of the issues we're trying to solve through sport.
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