The Youth Sports Award is a Youth Sports Trust International programme that helps to recognize and celebrate the important skills that young people acquire through the Youth Sports Leadership Programme. The awards play an important role in keeping students engaged in sports, by throwing in some healthy competition!
Saudi Arabia was one of the very first countries outside of the UK to launch the Award – which are accredited by Loughborough University - in schools.
Following the successful inaugural Youth Sports Awards in 2018, which saw the awards programme launched in five schools across Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern province, the 2019 awards were extended to an additional four schools across two new regions.
In the first edition, 48 teachers attended a one-day training where Youth Sports Trust trainers explained how to implement the award ceremony, and how to effectively judge and choose student winners across the different categories. This year 120 teachers will attend the training and will go on to select new student winners.
There are four strands to the Go and Bronze awards:
1. Wellbeing
This includes regular physical activity where students build up the amount of time they exercise for each week to develop a regular habit.
2. Achievement
This includes training in youth leadership, a range of other sports awards that governing bodies offer young people can also be recognized.
3. Leadership
Using the skills developed in training by running festivals and activities and events for other young people. Volunteering at local regional or national sporting events.
4. Reflection
Support and advice on how to showcase their learning in verbal and written statements that are meaningful to universities, colleges, and businesses.
To find out more or see if you can start the Youth Sports Awards in your school, get in touch with Fynan Hamadah at Fynan.Hamadah@sa.britishcouncil.org for more information