Sport Unlimited
Sport Unlimited
In September 2008, Sport England announced the national roll-out of its £36 million ‘Sport Unlimited’ initiative (formerly Extending Activities) to get more children and young people taking part in sports that interest them most outside of school.
The three-year programme will enable 900,000 more 11-19 year olds to choose from a vast range of sports including several in which Team GB has excelled at the 2008 Olympics - such as sailing and cycling - as well as less traditional sports like dodgeball, snowboarding and American football.
Sport Unlimited offers young people 10-week taster sessions in sports which they have requested and aims to get 300,000 participants to join clubs and continue with sport when the 10 weeks are up.
The programme, run by Sport England in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and County Sports Partnerships across England, has already been successfully trailblazed in 12 areas, South London being one. The programme will now be fully rolled out across the country, resulting in 4,000 new sporting projects being set up.
Sport Unlimited will make a significant contribution to the Government’s target of giving children and young people the opportunity to do 5 hours of PE and sport a week at school and in the community. The funding is part of the additional £100 million investment in sport for young people announced by the Prime Minister in 2007.
Jennie Price, Sport England Chief Executive, said:
“I particularly welcome the extent to which the sports on offer through this initiative will be driven and determined by young people themselves. Having their input will help sustain their enthusiasm and commitment to the programme.”
For more information contact Kurt Pittman
