[ Leading Cork to Take Its Place as a World Class City ]
Sports Development Programme
Online Classes in Yoga, Zumba, Boxercise, Workout Classes were also provided to schools and youth groups with JIGSAW, YMCA, Cork City Partnership and Wellsprings all taking part. North Presentation school, for example did a session where all staff, students, parents, and siblings at home were invited to Zoom in for a break in their remote learning for a Zumba class. The School sessions ran really well, and it is intended to run it with more schools across the city as a wellbeing initiative. Zumba In 2020 Cork City Council launched a Zumba campaign where schools, youth groups and local community groups were invited to take part in a six-week block of classes to promote physical activity. There was a huge uptake from local groups with over fifty Zumba classes taking place during the month of December. This programme was used to launch the “Move!” campaign which received coverage from several local newspapers, social media channels and radio stations.
Funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affair’s UBU Scheme, Cork City Council’s Sports Development Programme works to provide supports to marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable young people (aged between ten and twenty-four) in their communities to enable them to overcome adverse circumstances and achieve their full potential. A new Sports Development Officer was appointed in August 2020. The Officer works closely with local youth groups and organisations such as Foróige and Túsla, along with the Local Sports Partnership Committee and the FAI, to provide programmes which serve to enhance the outcomes for young people.
Sports on the Green The Sports on the Green programme was launched in 2020 in response to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Through this programme Cork City Council linked up with several sporting organisations, including the FAI, Munster Rugby and the Gardaí, to provide sports classes to young people on the green area of their own housing estate. The classes were provided free of charge and all sports equipment was provided, making them truly inclusive and accessible to all. Amongst the sports included in this programme were soccer, rugby, cycling, Zumba, orienteering and baton twirling. Other activities Other activities included working with schools and Youth Groups to provide a Youth Worker Training Programme in activities such as orienteering and a water-based programme which will reduce coaching costs when youth workers can lead sessions themselves.
Orienteering Orienteering is a perfect activity for teachers and youth workers alike to deliver under COVID-19 restrictions as it is outdoors and can be socially distanced very easily. In response to a demand from local teachers and youth workers, Cork City Council developed an orienteering programme where we provided orienteering sessions for groups of young people, in addition to training and up-skilling courses for teachers and youth workers. Orienteering programmes have proven to be a perfect way of promoting City Council parks to young people across the city.
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