Venture Outdoors - Creating Healthy Communities
This 3 year project funded by the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) and Ulster Gardens Villages (UGV), will address the barriers currently discouraging those from the disabled, minority ethnic and disadvantaged communities in taking part in outdoor recreation. The programme will include 4 key areas; training, marketing, participation and building bridges between the groups and activity providers.
Notices...
4 new tenders to provide outdoor recreation taster sessions
CAAN is now seeking applications from experienced Service/Activity Providers to provide six outdoor recreation taster sessions for people with disabilities, including people with limited mobility, learning disabilities, hearing and visual impairments; people from minority ethnic communities and people living within areas of disadvantage or social need.
The taster sessions will range in activities, however all will include walking and when feasible cycling. All sessions should reflect the best that their local area can offer and demonstrate the outdoor possibilities to all involved. The goal is to create positive experiences that once engaged individuals will want to experience again and use the outdoor recreation outlets in their locality more often.
In this instance there are four tender applications.
Lurgan, Co.Armagh - submission date: 12 Noon 26th February 20
Creggan, Omagh - submission date: 12 Noon 26th February 2010
Newry, Co Down - submission date: 12 Noon 26th February 2010
Craigavon, Co.Armagh - submission date:12 Noon 19th March 2010
Tender applications can be downloaded from "http://www.countrysiderecreation.com/tenders/"
Guidance notes to support completion of this document can be downloaded from http://www.countrysiderecreation.com/downloads/Guidance%20Notes.docTenders now available
Disability Inclusion Workshops for Outdoor Activity Providers
Venture Outdoors in partnership with Sport NI & Disability Sports NI are organising Disability Inclusion Workshops for Outdoor Activity Providers. The second workshop will take place on Friday 19th March 2010 at the Share Holiday Village, Co.Fermanagh. These workshops are specifically tailored for outdoor activity providers, outdoor education centres, freelance instructors and National Governing Bodies participation officers. These workshops will provide delegates with; A UK wide Disability Sports Organisation’s accredited course, practical workshops for 4 of the most commonly utilised sports in the outdoor industry - archery, canoeing, climbing and orienteering, and will also be the foundation of the future training to be delivered within the project Venture Outdoors. Delegate fees are £15 per person, for more information and to book please contact Sharon on sharon@countrysiderecreation.com or phone 02890 303930. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Four Key Programme Areas
1. Participation
- The involvement of groups and individuals from our target audience who experience difficulties in accessing outdoor activities.
- To begin the process groups or those working with them fill in an expression of interest form. This gives the development worker the opportunity to discover why the taster sessions would add value to programmes in existence or people’s lives and how the six sessions will in fact act as a springboard to continued outdoor activity.
- A baseline is then carried out detailing what activities individuals have tried before, if any, how active they would be daily and what activities they would like to try locally.
- The emphasis is on local sites and activities to make revisiting more achievable for the group.
- Each group will fill in a monitoring form, be visiting at least twice during the taster sessions by the development worker, complete an evaluation of all activities and receive a pack filled with signposting information on the sixth session.
- After three months a follow up baseline will be carried out to access change in lifestyle.
2. Information and Marketing
- Marketing Work Plan - will include research, development of a PR and marketing plan, website development, publication development, marketing campaigns to target the 3 underrepresented groups.
- Websites - Developing websites guidelines to ensure needs are met for the 3 underrepresented groups.
- Publications - development of guideline publications for the 3 underrepresented groups. Compiling series of Information packs for the taster sessions.
- Communications – a series of meetings have been held with key stakeholders in terms of deciding the best ways forward to producing accurate, available and appropriate information for these communities.
3. Training
- Development of a training programme aimed at activity providers, landowners, and community advocates to raise awareness and audit provision and inclusive practices.
4. Community Engagement & Facilitation
- Leadership training that will ensure that raised appreciation of outdoor activities is fed back to a wider audience.
- Bringing all element of the project together
Reports
Key Contacts
Maeve Curran - Venture Outdoors Marketing Officer - maeve@countrysiderecreation.com
Sharon Donnelly – Venture Outdoors Development Officer – sharon@countrysiderecreation.com
