Rugby club to offer education awards

Sporting Chance, designed to give young people from local disadvantaged areas new learning and life skills, is being run with Incommunities, the Bradford area's biggest social housing landlord and national charity CRI.

The programme aims to get teenagers involved in a range of educational and sporting activities in a safe environment.

Keighley Cougars general manager Helen Carter said: "We are the first rugby league club to offer such an award and, we believe, the first sporting organisation too.

"Sporting Chance aims to connect with young people, enabling them to enjoy a wide range of worthwhile pursuits. The programme is purpose built to provide individual development plans for each person to help them fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

"These include providing work placement opportunities and the chance to work towards an accredited GCSE-equivalent award."

The programme consists of seven modules: coaching, enterprise, education/employment, environment, democracy, healthy lifestyles and safer communities.

Cougars director Graham Kemp said there was potential for the programme to be rolled out nationally.

He said: "Team sports activities are essential for children and young people and can prove particularly beneficial to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They feel they belong and are doing something worthwhile by being part of a winning team.

"The sports-education programme is unique. Not only does it encourage young people to develop their rugby skills and improve their health and fitness in a fun and constructive way, but it also helps to educate them by nurturing and developing key skills, at the same time equipping them with a recognised qualification."