Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Co-creating Legacy in the South West: The Education and Skills Dimension
23rd October 2007, Sandy Park, Exeter
Sam Peach and Aaron Beacom attended this conference which was essentially about disseminating the 2012 Olympic legacy plans. The conference aim was to share how the Government, LSC and other agencies are using the Games to inspire young people, improve education and increase sports and community engagement across the region. The conference was organised and hosted by the Learning Skills Council in partnership with Team South West (SWRDA).
Keynote speakers were:
Lynda Lawrence (Dept. Children, Schools and Families 2012 Co-ordinator) who spoke about the Dept.’s plans to secure education legacy of the 2012 Games and LOCOG plans on education.
Steve Dowson (Dept. Innovation, Universities and Skills 2012 Co-ordinator) who discussed his department’s plans to maximise the skills benefits of hosting the 2012 Games.
Gareth Smith (Deputy Head, Podium) whose presentation title was “Putting Education and Skills at the heart of 2012)
Guy Lavender (SW Director for 2012) who spoke about what was happening in the SW.
Paul Pettigrew (LSC 2012 Director) who discussed the education and skills legacy for the SW.
Each of these presentations will be made available on the SWRDA and LSC websites (www.southwestrda.org.uk)
The key things to emerge from the conference were:
• There are a large number of organizations and agencies involved in developing plans. It is therefore difficult to get a clear understanding of the overarching strategy – plans seemed to lack clear direction and substance at this stage.
• There is no additional funding available to develop this legacy. Speakers referred to the need to “Olympify” existing activities and projects.
• Government agencies are relying on a bottom up approach – ie for schools, Colleges, Universities and other organizations to implement projects linked to the Olympics in order to create this legacy. There appears to be a very optimistic view of what can be achieved socially, culturally, economically etc. through the staging of the Olympic Games: a presentation of the Games as having the potential to cure all ills - including health objectives relating to obesity. At the same time there appears to be few substantive initiatives concerning how objectives can be realised. Instead it is a case of saying to the regions 'its up to you - Olympify, Olympify'.
• There was certainly tension reflected in comments made by both Lavender and Pettigrew, concerning strategy for recruiting and up-skilling volunteers - both indicating that at present the focus was on London wide as opposed to country wide benefits and that they were not willing to accept this.
• Important organisations that were referred to in the conference, that people may not have heard of and might be worth referring to; 'Office of the Third Sector' (sits within the Cabinet office and deals with the important area of co-ordinating efforts to encourage volunteering).'Olympic Executive' (A governmental committee that reports to the Secretary of State for the DCMS and has a cross-governmental role with particular involvement in the legacy agenda).
• Some useful documents were referred to which colleagues may find useful:
DCMS 2012 Legacy document: “Our promise for 2012” – available to download from DCMS.
To be published early December (approx 6th Dec):
LOCOG education plan
Mori Survey Findings (on 5-19 year olds views/ understanding of the Olympics)
Legacy Action Plan for 2012
There were one or two ideas that emerged that may be of value for us as a School/ College to follow up on and consider:
• Advanced Apprenticeships (linked to Olympic Sports)
• Using the Games to attract International Students
• Curriculum developments – e.g. a module on the Olympics / international sports studies degree etc
• Volunteering opportunities
• Pre-Olympic Training camps for some of the smaller nations
Sam Peach / Aaron Beacom
Sam Peach and Aaron Beacom attended this conference which was essentially about disseminating the 2012 Olympic legacy plans. The conference aim was to share how the Government, LSC and other agencies are using the Games to inspire young people, improve education and increase sports and community engagement across the region. The conference was organised and hosted by the Learning Skills Council in partnership with Team South West (SWRDA).
Keynote speakers were:
Lynda Lawrence (Dept. Children, Schools and Families 2012 Co-ordinator) who spoke about the Dept.’s plans to secure education legacy of the 2012 Games and LOCOG plans on education.
Steve Dowson (Dept. Innovation, Universities and Skills 2012 Co-ordinator) who discussed his department’s plans to maximise the skills benefits of hosting the 2012 Games.
Gareth Smith (Deputy Head, Podium) whose presentation title was “Putting Education and Skills at the heart of 2012)
Guy Lavender (SW Director for 2012) who spoke about what was happening in the SW.
Paul Pettigrew (LSC 2012 Director) who discussed the education and skills legacy for the SW.
Each of these presentations will be made available on the SWRDA and LSC websites (www.southwestrda.org.uk)
The key things to emerge from the conference were:
• There are a large number of organizations and agencies involved in developing plans. It is therefore difficult to get a clear understanding of the overarching strategy – plans seemed to lack clear direction and substance at this stage.
• There is no additional funding available to develop this legacy. Speakers referred to the need to “Olympify” existing activities and projects.
• Government agencies are relying on a bottom up approach – ie for schools, Colleges, Universities and other organizations to implement projects linked to the Olympics in order to create this legacy. There appears to be a very optimistic view of what can be achieved socially, culturally, economically etc. through the staging of the Olympic Games: a presentation of the Games as having the potential to cure all ills - including health objectives relating to obesity. At the same time there appears to be few substantive initiatives concerning how objectives can be realised. Instead it is a case of saying to the regions 'its up to you - Olympify, Olympify'.
• There was certainly tension reflected in comments made by both Lavender and Pettigrew, concerning strategy for recruiting and up-skilling volunteers - both indicating that at present the focus was on London wide as opposed to country wide benefits and that they were not willing to accept this.
• Important organisations that were referred to in the conference, that people may not have heard of and might be worth referring to; 'Office of the Third Sector' (sits within the Cabinet office and deals with the important area of co-ordinating efforts to encourage volunteering).'Olympic Executive' (A governmental committee that reports to the Secretary of State for the DCMS and has a cross-governmental role with particular involvement in the legacy agenda).
• Some useful documents were referred to which colleagues may find useful:
DCMS 2012 Legacy document: “Our promise for 2012” – available to download from DCMS.
To be published early December (approx 6th Dec):
LOCOG education plan
Mori Survey Findings (on 5-19 year olds views/ understanding of the Olympics)
Legacy Action Plan for 2012
There were one or two ideas that emerged that may be of value for us as a School/ College to follow up on and consider:
• Advanced Apprenticeships (linked to Olympic Sports)
• Using the Games to attract International Students
• Curriculum developments – e.g. a module on the Olympics / international sports studies degree etc
• Volunteering opportunities
• Pre-Olympic Training camps for some of the smaller nations
Sam Peach / Aaron Beacom
# posted by A Sociologist : 8:11 AM
