Access Sport’s volunteering project, Team100, is all about supporting local people to make a difference in their community. Currently active in Burgess Park, an area in Southwark with some of the highest obesity levels in London¹ and this group of volunteers are working to address this, using their skills and passions to come together and provide more access to sport for local young people. Team100 Burgess Park is delivered in partnership with Burgess Sports. 

Although many volunteers love what they do,one of the main reasons for a volunteer leaving a club or project is that they feel dissatisfied and undervalued². Our three Team100’s are focused on addressing this and these celebration events are very important part of the project. Each Team100 will be organising celebration evenings like the one below, to make sure that however local residents get involved, they feel appreciated and that they have a place place in the their team.                

    

10 local, volunteer-led sports clubs came together to celebrate the power and impact their volunteers have on their young participants but also on the volunteers themselves. Many reminisced about their favourite moments, their joy when seeing the smiles on the young participant’s faces, but also how they have met other volunteers and communities as well:

  

“I love seeing everyone in the park, I try to help out where I can and meeting everyone with is so good”

It was a great event, bringing together so many community champions who invest their time into local clubs. The volunteers who received recognition were ones who coach, officiate, support catering, after-school clubs, transport and more. Being a part of Team100 is not all about coaching in tracksuits, everyone is encouraged to join and support the community's health and wellbeing. 

If you are interested in this project please see the Team100 project page. 

References:

1. https://www.southwark.gov.uk/assets/attach/5235/Ward%20Profile%20-%20Faraday%20-%20Nov%202017.pdf 

2. https://www.sportenglandclubmatters.com/club-people/volunteers/keeping-volunteers/