Photo by Bobby Gavin
scottishathletics chief executive Colin Hutchison is asking clubs across our membership to be aware of investment opportunities in Commonwealth Games year.
Colin writes . . .
With the sun shining and the track and field district championships on the horizon, the outdoor season is starting to gain momentum.
This season is going to be a special one for the sport with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham in August.
While those major Championships generate great excitement, it is the work being done week-to-week in the clubs and facilities across the country that continue to make athletics in Scotland progress.
Away from the action itself, this has also been an important year so far for sport in Scotland with the announcement in January of an increase in investment for sport.
This increase is welcomed, and certainly significant in support for governing bodies, but there remains much to be done.
Continued increases in investment are required annually to support the sporting system and facilities across Scotland to an extent that enables us all to further enhance provision for athletics and running and increase opportunities to access the sport.
scottishathletics is continuing to work with our fellow Scottish governing bodies and sportscotland to keep the momentum behind the Running on Empty campaign.
Photo by Bobby Gavin
Within the increase in investment for sport, there are two opportunities which could directly benefit your club.
Club Support Programme
As part of the package of new investment for sport, £5m has been allocated to help sports clubs and sporting organisations thrive and continue to play a pivotal role in the fabric of Scottish communities.
The Club Support Programme will provide targeted investment into sports clubs and community originations, creating more paid posts that will have a role to support them in key areas such as coaching, governance, and administration.
These posts will help build much needed capacity within clubs, support – not replace – volunteers, and create more sustainable structures that enable clubs to grow participation, sustain or grow their membership, and put them in a stronger position to better serve their communities.
For all of us involved in scottishathletics, this new funding enables us, as the sport’s governing body, to make bids to sportscotland on behalf of clubs to expand our existing Club Together programme.
Further information has already been sent to club secretaries and full details are available on the sportscotland website – Club Support Programme – sportscotland the national agency for sport in Scotland.
The initial deadline for applications is Friday 15 May. Any member club considering developing an application should reach out to their National Club Manager as soon as possible.
scottishathletics Staff section (with NCM email addresses)
Team Scotland athletes and staff at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
Summer of Sport
In addition to the Club Support Programme, clubs may also be able to benefit this year from the one-off investment fund for the ‘Summer of Sport’.
This fund has been established to help deliver a memorable Summer of Sport for communities across Scotland.
The fund can support activity happening through to the 31 March 2027 and is designed to support opportunities for young people aged three to 26, particularly those facing disadvantage, to get active, stay active, and enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
Each local authority in Scotland has been allocated direct funding for the Summer of Sport so we would encourage any club planning to deliver athletics activity for young people in this age group between now and 31 March 2027 to reach out to their local authority contacts.
If you need support to identify the correct local authority contact then please ask your National Club Manager for support.
Further information on this fund is also available on the sportscotland website – Summer of Sport – sportscotland the national agency for sport in Scotland.
I would like to wish all our members, clubs, coaches, officials and volunteers all the best for the season ahead across all parts of athletics in Scotland.
Colin Hutchison
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Tags:
Clubs, Colin Hutchison, Development