Active Schools team expand their role to support Children's Hubs
Meet Mark!
Mark and colleagues in the Active Schools team are providing exciting programmes of activities for Children’s Hubs during after school hours as well as school holidays supporting these invaluable resources.
I enjoy seeing the young people we work with achieve success
Mark Urwin, Senior Active School Co-ordinator
“Before the Covid-19 outbreak my time was spent managing and supporting the Active Schools team, planning new initiatives and policies to encourage young people to get active and organising volunteers to support them. This also included managing the wide programme of activity offered at Ross High School, including over 20 sports teams and regular lunchtime and after school activities.
“Now, my colleagues and I are are helping to plan and deliver the Summer Children’s Hub provision over four weeks, as well as providing support for other Hub Leads during the remaining weeks.
“As well as developing Covid-19 friendly resources and activities for children at the Children’s Hubs, we also promote varying themes through our social media channels on a daily basis, such as mental and physical health and wellbeing and nutrition.”
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
“I enjoy seeing the young people we work with achieve success. That success varies from child to child, and being involved in the Children’s Hubs has made that experience even more humbling. Things like learning to ride a bike, making new friends, sharing their time and watching them learn to support each other, are all real life skills, helping build confidence, resilience and a sense of helping others.”
Tell us a bit about the work the Active Schools Team are doing with Children's Hubs.
Active Schools previously known for all things active and sporty - my colleagues and I have become much more familiar with arts and crafts, packed lunches and karaoke!
We are extremely grateful to the support staff who have volunteered their work hours to come and support us in the Children’s Hubs, they are the real stars of the show. Their imagination and creativity has helped us build daily flexible plans for each day in the Hubs, helping keep the children and staff safe, whilst enjoying their time there. The children play their part too, helping decide on what activities they would like to try, keeping the Active Schools team on their toes, researching and preparing resources for them. There has been lots of socially distanced activity in the hubs too; bike ability sessions, beat the goalie, giant Snakes & Ladders, as well as nature trails, scavenger hunts and all manner of outdoor play.
“The children and young people attending the Children’s Hubs can teach us adults a thing or two about resilience, about getting on with things and helping each other in adversity. They have been welcoming with their time and ideas, always keen to do new things and stepping out of their comfort zone. The parents and guardians of these young people can be very proud of the way they have dealt with the challenges they have faced.”