Uniting people through sport

A twinning programme aims to unite people through sport in the Mid & East Antrim borough.
Twinning programme aims to unite people through sportTwinning programme aims to unite people through sport
Twinning programme aims to unite people through sport

Sporting clubs here can now make their applications to jointly participate in the PEACE IV Sports Club Twinning Programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programme Body.

It will be responsible for creating a sports project between clubs from different parts of the borough.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There will be five partnerships created across the council area to participate in coach education sessions and community relations workshops, up until March 2020.

The Council will fund all costs associated with the programme, including room hire, facilitators and other additional costs.

It is anticipated the funding will be worth in the region of £10,000 per partnership.

Through a partnership approach, the Council will seek to deliver five Sports Club Twinning Projects with a total maximum value of £10,000 per Twinning.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Lindsay Millar, said: “Our Peace IV programme is aimed at helping build relationships between sports clubs of different religious backgrounds. The Sports Development Unit will establish a programme of Generic Sports Coach Education and Good Relations workshops which will enhance coach learning as well as explore differences and similarities and help to address respect and mutual understanding. The Twinning’s will come together and take part in a collaborative project.

“Constituted Sports Clubs will partner together (Twin) and make an application to jointly participate in the Sports Club Twinning Programme. Each club will nominate a minimum number of club members (minimum of 30and maximum of 40 participants per Twinning) to undergo a minimum participation of 28 hours per member contact time in the programme which will also include two exchange visits to each club twinned. There will be a minimum of two and a maximum of four clubs partnered per Twinning.

“Clubs will be given a choice of Coach Education workshops to participate in with a maximum of 20 to attend each workshop. There are compulsory Community Relations workshops and participants must attend at least two Community Relations Workshops.”

All participants must complete at least six from 13 Sport NI Coach Development Workshops including: Coaching Children and Young People: Coaching Craft; Talent Foundation Series; and Community Relations Workshops.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Clubs must jointly agree to place at least 30 coaches (with a participant breakdown stipulated under Peace IV funding guidelines) on each of at least six selected Coach Education workshops.

Workshops can run more than once or more than six can be selected as long as minimum numbers of eight can be secured for each workshop. All participants must also engage in at least two Community Relations workshops and two club exchange visits to each of the twinned clubs involved for a minimum of two hours per visit.