The Power of Sport: UK Sport brings children around the world to the track
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UK Sport brings children around the world to the track
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James Skitt 02 August 2012
As the world’s greatest athletes take to London’s track tomorrow, young people around the world have been given their own opportunity to experience athletics, thanks to the partnership of UK Sport and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), under International Inspiration, the legacy programme of the London 2012 Games.
This partnership was encouraged by the LOCOG Chair, Lord Seb Coe, and the IAAF President to develop the “IAAF Kids Athletics” programme, which aims to ensure a steady and sustainable policy of development of the sport of Athletics. By introducing children to Athletics at a basic level, the programme promotes and develops sport in school and communities by embedding athletics into school curricula and develop new skills and techniques that are not always utilised in team sports.
The three-year agreement signed by UK Sport and IAAF in June 2010 has ensured agreements were made between the Ministries of Education and national Athletics Federations to integrate the training within existing and sustainable sports structures.
Find out the impact International Inspiration has made around the world:
In Nigeria, the small pilot of Kids Athletics began in Lagos State in 2011 and has been rolled out in 900 schools with the potential to reach 200,000 children.
In Jordan, through the Jordan Athletics Federation, 40 teachers, including 30 females, have been trained to deliver the programme and continue to share the power of sport with young people.
In Mozambique, Kids Athletics is now an integral element of UNICEF’s Child Friendly Schools package. Sir Keith Mills, visited Mozambique to see the impact of International Inspiration and how children are using the athletics skills their teachers have been equipped with to teach them.
In Tanzania, Teachers are being trained in Kids Athletics in collaboration with the Tanzania Athletics Federation. International Inspiration Ambassador and Paralympian, Oscar Pistorius, took part in the Tanzania launch in November 2011, and saw the impact of Kids Athletics first-hand.
In Uganda, Kids Athletics been embedded in International Inspiration programme and in May 2012, the Ugandan National Athletics Championships took place with Kids Athletics featuring. This event provided the perfect platform to place emphasis on team success rather than individual success.
In Pakistan, an agreement between British Council and the Athletics Federation of Pakistan and Ministry of Education was made through International Inspiration to pilot Kids Athletics from February 2012.
Find out more about International Inspiration by visiting the UK Sport website: http://www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/international-inspiration/
