Two of the country’s most promising young swimmers are to tell MPs how their ground-breaking sport apprenticeship is helping to shape their careers.

17-year-olds Andrew Willis and Jenna Turner are taking part in an ‘Apprenticeships Reception’ hosted by the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group at the House of Lords on Wednesday 7 May 2008.

The event will highlight the success of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) – an initiative that aims to meet the needs of young people to achieve sporting excellence as their main career goal while continuing with their education.

The swimmers are just two of the 235 athletes from swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and water polo who are currently involved in the AASE programme. Other success stories from the scheme include swimmers Jemma Lowe and Rebecca Addlington, who have both made the Beijing Games 2008; synchronised swimmers Jenna Randall and Olivia Allison who are also heading to China and divers Jodie McGroarty and Sarah Barrow, who both won gold at the British Championships this year.

Willis and Turner enrolled onto the AASE programme in September 2007 and have attended training camps and workshops as part of the programme.

The overall apprenticeship will be awarded to the swimmers by Skills Active after they have completed three components: a sports specific National Vocational Qualification, a Technical Certificate (made up of a minimum of 780 guided learning hours in qualifications such as GCSEs or BTEC Awards) and Key Skills in Numbers and Communications.

The cross-party event will give politicians the chance to learn about the scheme and try to encourage them to promote the good work of the apprenticeships nationally and within their constituencies. The Amateur Swimming Association’s Chief Executive Officer David Sparkes will also be attending in a strategic role.

And Turner is relishing the chance to talk about her experience with AASE. “It’s a good scheme because it offers a lot of support and you get an extra qualification at the end of it,” she said. “The event at the House of Lords should be good too - I’ve never spoken to politicians before so again this is something new I am doing because of the apprenticeship.”

Turner, who swims and trains at Ealing Swimming Club and is coached by Dave Heathcock, will be representing Great Britain at the World Youth Championships taking place in Mexico in July.  She has already represented Great Britain at the European Championships 2007 and won a silver medal in the Medley Relay. 

Willis, who trains at Bracknell Swimming Club and is coached by his dad Nigel Willis, recently made his first GB selection and will be representing Great Britain in the 200m Breaststroke at the European Junior Championships taking place in Serbia in July. 

ASA National Education Officer Michelle Kiff said: “The feedback from the athletes about the programme has been really good and it will be great to get that message across to the MPs because they are the ones who can help to support the scheme and also make local employees and universities aware of the apprenticeship so they can recognize it as a qualification.”

-ENDS-

For further details contact Sharon Rose, Amateur Swimming Association PR Manager, on 01509 632 262, 07876 652318 or email sharon.rose@swimming.org

The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
www.britishswimming.org

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About AASE
AASE is a Government funded initiative that has been designed to meet the needs of young people (aged 16-18) who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, whilst continuing with their education.  Notionally taking two years to complete, the AASE framework will provide for the first time a structured national training and development route across all sports for talented young athletes, many of whom may go to represent their country on the world stage.

 

 

The Institute of Swimming (IoS) is pleased to announce a successful outcome of the OFSTED inspection into the delivery of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme.

The report of the inspection, carried out in March 2008, has now been formally released and highlights the key strengths of the programme: very good skills development in a variety of aquatic sports; high retention rates; good quality resources to promote learning; very good coaching to develop excellence in sports performance and good use of residential camps and workshops to develop learner’s social, academic and aquatic skills.

The report also details how the programme has improved and developed since its introduction just under two years ago to ensure that the 210 current learners receive the necessary skills and support to become champions while continuing with their education.

AASE is a Government funded initiative designed to meet the needs of young people, aged 16-18, who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, whilst continuing their education.  As part of the programme, athletes learn about such key subjects as time management, career planning, nutrition, training, and communications. This valuable experience will go towards preparing them for international competition.

The IoS contracts with Leicestershire Learning and Skills Council for the delivery of the AASE programme, for which the framework has been developed in partnership with Skills Active, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning.

ASA’s Head of Workforce Development Spencer Moore is delighted at the achievement:

“It is unusual for a training provider to be inspected by OFSTED so early in a programme’s development – AASE is a two-year apprenticeship plan which has been in operation since 2006, so we don’t have any athletes who have completed the full schedule of learning yet.  The successful report is a testament to the quality of our provision and the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.”

Steve Mitchell, AASE Programme Manager at Skills Active, was closely involved with the inspection process in helping the government representatives understand the complexities of the AASE framework.

“Skills Active’s role is to set the framework for the AASE programme and broker the funding – we then hand over to the IoS to recruit the athletes and manage the whole process.  The outcome of the report is very encouraging – without having a full cohort of apprentices finish their programme the grade achieved is a credit to the expertise, enthusiasm and knowledge of the whole team.”

He added, “The report has also provided some excellent feedback which can be used to develop the programme even further.”

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The full OFSTED report is available on request.  For further information please contact Claire Freeman on 01509 632238 or email claire.freeman@swimming.org.

Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
In order to comply with national education and training standards it has developed two separate and independent arms – the ASA Awarding Body and the Institute of Swimming (IoS) - which represent the awarding and delivery channels for all ASA qualifications.

ASA Awarding Body
The ASA Awarding Body develops, assesses, awards and quality assures all ASA qualifications. It is the equivalent of other awarding bodies such as City & Guilds and OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations), The ASA Awarding Body is licensed by British Swimming to award qualifications in England and Wales. It also has the remit for quality assurance of all areas of UKCC standards.

Institute of Swimming (IoS)
The IoS is a licensed training provider, like a school or college. It is one of many ASA Awarding Body Approved Centres.  The IoS is also a membership body for qualified swimming teachers and coaches, providing insurance, advice and learning opportunities to its members.

Skills Active
SkillsActive is the sector skills council for the active leisure and learning industry. There are 25 sector skills councils in total in the UK, covering a huge variety of business, industry and learning.   The active leisure and learning sector is made up of five sub-sectors: sport and recreation, health and fitness, playwork, the outdoors and caravans. SkillsActive works with all five sub-sectors to increase the demand for, the quality and the supply of skills provision, to bring all areas together in collaboration, and to lobby funding agencies and policy makers for improvements to the sector.

OFSTED
The new OFSTED, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills –came into being on 1 April 2007. It brings together the wide experience of four formerly separate inspectorates. It inspects and regulates care for children and young people, and inspects education and training for learners of all ages.

The Government's Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence scheme was launched a year ago to bridge the gap between sport and education for talented and ambitious athletes. A year into the programme, Roger Guttridge of Swimming Times talks to some of those involved.

Click here to download the double page feature article from Swimming Times October 2007 edition.

The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is celebrating a 94% retention rate of its Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme after its first year.

133 athletes from swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and water polo have completed their first year of training and are about to embark on their final year of the two-year programme.

AASE is a Government funded initiative designed to meet the needs of young people, aged 16-18, who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, whilst continuing their education.

As part of the programme, athletes learn about such key subjects as time management, career planning, nutrition, training, and communications. This valuable experience will go towards preparing them for international competition.

Athletes on the ASA’s AASE programme have volunteered at the FINA Diving World Series, attended a training camp in Slovenia and undertaken lifeguarding qualifications as part of the programme.

ASA National Education Officer Michelle Kiff is thrilled with the feedback after the first year of the programme and believes they can continue the success into the second year.

“We have had a brilliant first year and the 94% retention rate is a credit to the hard work undertaken by all of the AASE staff,” she said. “We are still developing more resources and innovative ways of delivering AASE and are planning on having more camps and weekend workshops for athletes. We are still working closely with other programmes such as World Class and England talent to ensure consistency with athlete education.

“We have had some excellent feedback from the athletes about the programme. They have enjoyed working with the staff and getting the support they have needed to stay in education while training.”

City of Leeds Diving Club member Suzanne Collins has been a member of the programme for the past year and has seen the benefits of having professional support whilst training and studying.

“This programme has been excellent for me,” she said. “It has allowed me to improve the effectiveness of my training while giving me the opportunity to remain in education. I have recommended the programme to other athletes at my club and I really believe it has been very worthwhile for my development.”

The ASA - one of the five sports governing bodies to sign up for the scheme - and this year has seen 136 athletes meet the qualifying standard, across all disciplines and have been invited onto the Government-funded AASE programme.

-ENDS-

AASE induction days will be held for invited athletes on:

30th Sept: Induction for Swimming & W'Polo
14th Oct Induction for Disability
27th Oct Induction for Synchro
28th Oct Induction for Diving

For more information contact Eva Payates at eva.payates@swimming.org

The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

The Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is the most successful awards scheme in British sport and issues around two million awards every year to swimmers all around the world.

For more information about ASA Awards please see www.swimming.org <http://www.swimming.org>

 

The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is holding its annual open day for the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on the 2nd September.

Over 130 athletes have been invited to the day, which is designed to give athletes an understanding of what will be expected of them during the two-year course, which combines training in their chosen sport with study.

Athletes and their parents and coaches attending the day can expect a presentation from ASA National Education Officer Michelle Kiff and the chance to learn more in discipline specific workshops. The day will conclude with a motivational speech from five-time World Champion James Hickman.

AASE is a Government funded initiative designed to meet the needs of young people (aged 16-18) who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, whilst continuing with their education.

All athletes that have been invited onto the programme have met the strict qualifying criteria set by the individual disciplines, which includes showing dedication to the sport and training for at least 15 hours each week.

As part of the programme, athletes will learn about such key subjects as time management, career planning, nutrition, training, and communications. This valuable experience will go towards preparing them for international competition.

The ASA – one of the five sports governing bodies to sign up for the scheme – and this year has seen 136 athletes meet the qualifying standard, across all disciplines and have been invited onto the Government-funded AASE programme.

England Talent and Development Manager Nick Sellwood underlines the importance of the programme for athlete development.

“The AASE programme provides a qualification, equivalent to an A-level, for athletes who are dedicated to fulfilling their potential,” he said. “It acknowledges the expertise and commitment of elite athletes with an NVQ level 3 qualification, which is linked to academic and vocational study.

“Athletes that join the programme will benefit from additional support via the English Talent Development team."

-ENDS-

AASE induction days will be held for invited athletes on:

30th September: Induction for Swimming and Water Polo
6th October: Induction for Synchronised Swimming
13th October: Induction for Diving
14th October: Induction for Disability

For more information contact Eva Payates at eva.payates@swimming.org

The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

The Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is the most successful awards scheme in British sport and issues around two million awards every year to swimmers all around the world.

For more information about ASA Awards please see www.swimming.org

An international diving meet attracting the world’s very best divers with Olympic and World Championship credentials will offer a unique experience not only for spectators but for a volunteer workforce that will ensure the event runs smoothly.

The Amateur Swimming Association and Sheffield City Council’s Major Sports Events Unit have joined forces not only in helping to fund and stage the event but also to provide the many volunteers needed to ensure its success.

Within any major event there are many roles that a dedicated band of volunteers adopt from marshalling specific areas to escorting VIPs. Yet without this vital assistance and support events would struggle to function properly.

While Sheffield Major Sports Events Unit is turning to its database of loyal volunteers to help with the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre event (1st and 2nd September) the ASA is looking to enhance the experience of the next generation of diving talent through its volunteering scheme.

Athletes currently involved in the ASA’s AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) have volunteered for the event where they will be able to observe Olympic and World champions in action while also contributing to a National Vocational Qualification they are undertaking as part of the programme.

AASE is a Government-funded initiative that has been designed to meet the needs of young people, aged 16-18, who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, while continuing with their education.

Taking around two years to complete, the AASE framework provides a structured national training and development route across all sports for the first time for talented young athletes, many of who may go on to represent their country on the world stage.

The ASA’s National Education Officer for AASE Michelle Kiff is excited about the prospects the event holds in store for the students and feels they will be able to complete a number of tasks as volunteers that will go towards completing their NVQ.

 “The FINA Diving World Series provides a great opportunity for the athletes to achieve a number of criteria on the AASE programme,” explained Kiff. “By volunteering in a variety of roles they can find out first hand what goes on at an international diving event and the more practical activities they do as part of AASE the better.

“For some of the athletes it will be the first time they have watched live diving of this calibre and rubbed shoulders with the best divers in the world, which will have a massive motivational effect.

“By watching the athletes they will be able to draw parallels with their own training and competition experience and discover what separates the top divers from them and how they can close that gap.”

The group of volunteers will be able to experience and work within such areas as media services, providing help and hospitality to VIPs, marshalling dry land and poolside areas and videoing certain events.

· Tickets are now on sale via the ASA Awards website and are priced £10 for adults per day, £5 for children per day or weekend tickets are priced at £15 for adults and £7.50 for children.

For further details and to book tickets online, people can visit www.awards.sportcentric.com <http://www.awards.sportcentric.com> and go to the Event Tickets section of the homepage.

-ends-

The FINA Diving World Series (Sheffield) takes place at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre on 1st and 2nd September 2007.

ASA AASE students who will be providing valuable volunteering time to the event are:

Jack Clewlow - Southampton Diving   
Jenny MacDonald - Plymouth Diving
Ashley Franklin - Beaumont Diving  
Alex Newton - Plymouth Diving
Phillipa Ninnes - Beaumont Diving
Jessica Taylor - Plymouth Diving
Richard Bradley - City of Leeds   
Amy Dawson - City of Leeds
Adam Smallwood - City of Bradford  
Suzanne Collins - City of Leeds
Jodie McGroarty - Athlete Development Only - City of Sheffield
Sarah Barrow - Athlete Development Only - Plymouth Diving

Staging of the FINA Diving World Series involves funding partners: UKSport, British Swimming, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Events Capital, Yorkshire Alive With Opportunity; Yorkshire Forward, the European Union, Yorkshire South and Sheffield International Venues - Ponds Forge International Sports Centre.

For further details contact Dave Richards, British Swimming Media Manager, on 01509 632237, 0778 992 6136 or email dave.richards@swimming.org

British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain.  It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. The members of British Swimming are the three Home Countries national governing bodies of England (Amateur Swimming Association), Scotland (Scottish Amateur Swimming Association) and Wales. (Welsh Amateur Swimming Association)  British Swimming seeks to enable its athletes to achieve gold medal success at the Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

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UK Sport works in partnership with national governing bodies and distributes National Lottery funding each year through the World Class Events Programme to support their bidding and staging costs, as well as providing specialist technical support. Since 1997, UK Sport has supported more than 80 events of World, European and Commonwealth status
www.uksport.gov.uk

Sheffield City Council's Major Sports Events Unit have attracted this event to the City and work with other major sports events owners to attract national and international events to the city - on average more than 30 each year. Sheffield is committed to hosting a full programme of sports events throughout the year and it is the sheer number and diversity of events that underpins Sheffield as an events capital.  The City's programme enhances Sheffield's image on the national and international stage, in addition to providing huge