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'I learned a lot' on a Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training workshop

An Inclusive Sports Officer at a not-for-profit charity based in the Midlands says Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training is enjoyable, practical and “allowed me to get stuck in and learn things.”

Ellie Blessed, from Gedling Sports Partnership in Nottinghamshire, attended the three-hour practical workshop, supplemented by online resources, last month.

She is one of an increasing number of people, now well over 2,500 individuals nationwide, who have enjoyed developing their knowledge and advancing their skillset.

Ellie told the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) what she expected of Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training prior to attending:

“I promote disability sport around the community, and I have only been in the post for a month now. I wanted to learn things to support me in my new role.

“I wanted to learn how to adapt sports, and how to be confident in doing so.”

Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training, part of the Active Kids for All scheme, is a creative, informal and informative workshop. It is designed to improve the skills and confidence of those who support disabled people to be more active.

After the workshop, which was organised by Sport Nottinghamshire, Ellie said that the practical nature of the session helped her develop and broaden her knowledge:

“The workshop is three hours long, and I was concerned it would be three hours of listening and I might lose concentration. But actually it was very practical, after an initial 20 minute introduction. I enjoy it when it’s practical – it allows me to get stuck in and learn things.

“I attended on my own and I didn’t know what to expect in terms of what other people would be there, learning alongside me. But it turned out I was among the sportiest of the attendees, so I ended up taking the lead on much of the delivery.

“I enjoyed that – we worked together as a team so that everybody learned.”

Ellie praised her experience of the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training, and encouraged others to consider taking part in one of the many planned workshops across the country.

 “Learning how to adapt different activities to lots of people of different ages with different disabilities was great – I didn’t think there were so many adaptations you could make to a sport.

“Even if you do have experience in this field, there are always more things to learn. I learned a lot, and I know a lot of the people I attended with learned a great deal too.”

For further information, please contact EFDS, email AK4A@efds.co.uk or telephone 01509 227751. Find us on Twitter @Eng_Dis_Sport, Facebook and LinkedIn.