EFDS Buddy Scheme
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) has received funding from the Department of Health’s Section 64 Grant to support the development of an Advocacy & Activity Buddy Scheme (AABS) over a 3 year period to 2010.
The purpose of the AAB Scheme will work two fold to increase the participation of disabled people within sport and physical activity through:-
Advocacy; to recruit, train and support Advocates to encourage their peers and groups they represent to use sport as a vehicle in overcoming social isolation.
Activity Buddies; to promote and deliver a buddy system within sport and leisure providing disabled people with volunteer support to enable them to better access sport and physical activity.
Resources, toolkits, new and existing local/regional and national partnerships will be developed to support the process and delivery of the scheme. AABS will be a continuation and progression from the Gym Buddy Scheme delivery and resource already available within Inclusive Fitness Initiative gyms.
Aims and Objectives of the Advocacy & Activity Buddy Scheme
The 3 main aims and objectives of AABS are to:-
1. Provide buddy/ volunteer support to disabled people who wish to participate in sport and physical activity.
2. Support advocates and advocacy groups to encourage their service users to engage in sport and physical activity to overcome social exclusion.
3. Support sport and leisure providers to engage with a buddy scheme to provide more inclusive sport and physical activity opportunities to disabled people.
For more information about the scheme download the factsheet HERE
To access the resource toolkit CLICK HERE
FREE Online Volunteer Training
An online ‘E Learning’ site is available to train volunteers to support disabled people to access sport or physical activity. The AABS training site is aimed at anyone wishing to support disabled people to access sport and physical activity within a club, group or leisure centre. It will reduce the time required by clubs to train their volunteers and make volunteering more accessible.
The training covers a number of topics from understanding what volunteering is, to the skills and knowledge needed to support a disabled person. Also what a volunteer should expect in return.
The course is split into six modules, with questions after each module to test understanding. The training can be accessed as and when the volunteer is able to do so, and does not have to be completed all in one session. A certificate will be emailed to the volunteer upon completion.
CLICK HERE to access the free online training
For further information about the project generally please contact the EFDS on 0161 247 5294 or aabs@efds.co.uk
