The Active Club Pack is an excellent ‘fitness and fun’ resource, and it is used to help encourage more out of school clubs to understand the benefits of fitness and diverse ways children can play physically – to promote this further, the Quality Team now provides ‘in setting’ training.
The training is offered in two parts:
The First Training Session aims to help out of school care workers (OOSCWs) to understand the importance of fitness and the content of the Active Club Pack. The session is set over 1½ to 2 hours dependent on OOSCWs experience and confidence, and at a time to suit – either daytime or evening. The OOSCWs spend some time near the end of the training session looking at the ‘list’ of the 120 types of play (from pg 61). Cards of interest are looked at more closely and general discussions help establish interests and needs of young people with suggestions to help shape session 2. This forms a plan that notes the focus of the second session with cards to use, resources needed, and appropriate adaptations to consider.
The Second Training Session helps to put the ideas from the cards into practice with the young people and OOSCWs. Copies of the plan, activity cards selected and resources are developed during the 2½ hour session. Adults observe and reflect to help support play opportunities in a fun and dynamic way. For example, to prepare for a volley ball game in summer, we used strong water balloons to help with catching skills. The circle eventually got bigger and then passing got faster. This proved good fun and preparation for the volley ball game.
The out of school clubs are encouraged to see the Active Club Pack as a flexible resource. By introducing young people to the pack during the training, it helps remove fear and increases interest while encouraging more abstract ideas for physical play.
Thank you British Heart Foundation and 4Children for an excellent resource!
Active Clubs Tutor
The Tameside Quality Team, Manchester
