By: Blonde Two
Sport England have a simple aim, that is to increase the numbers of people (of any age) taking part in sport. They have recently completed some research into the motivations of young people, and come up with six ‘Youth Personas’. The idea being that those of us who are interested in encouraging youngsters to be more active can use the information to better understand what type of support and encouragement to provide.
The videos make interesting watching https://www.sportengland.org/research/encouraging-take-up/key-influences/sport-and-age/youth-personas/ I wonder if you recognise yourself in any of them? You might be:
a ‘Thoughtful Improver’, an ‘Everyday Youth’, a ‘Sports Enthusiast’, a ‘Confident Intellectual’, a ‘Cautious Introvert’ or an ‘Ambitious Self-Starter’. A helpful breakdown I think; but those of us who work with young people, all know that every now and again we will meet a Confident Introvert or an Intellectual Everyday Youth, and that finding a way to meet their needs is really just about getting to know them as a person.
Whilst both sport and outdoor education are undoubtedly good for young people, there is a question in my head as to whether or not they are the same thing. In some ways they are; teamwork, personal challenge, physical fitness and skills development are elements of both. However, I can’t think of a sport that doesn’t involve trying to win and outdoor education (although it sometimes is) shouldn’t be about that.
You are absolutely right! “Sport” at school is nearly always great for the athletic and well-coordinated, but for those who are gawky and clumsy, it is a major disaster. They will always be the last picked for any team game and have to take the scorn of their peers. On the hills, teamwork involves moving at the speed of the slowest, keeping the team together and making use of everyone’s skills, encouraging patience and understanding between participants.