The Bigger Splash

The Bigger Splash project aimed at developing an effective system for administrating, coordinating and mentoring the work of undergraduate students within neighbourhood voluntary sports organisations. Twelve different voluntary roles were defined, all based on skills acquired and required for various sports courses run from the School of Sport and Service Management based in Eastbourne. Fully operational at the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year, around 12 students per year have found skills-led placements within Eastbourne Swimming Club thanks to the Bigger Splash. Voluntary roles such as nutritional adviser, performance analyst, strength and conditioning coach, assistant coach, swimming teachers were indeed fulfilled.

Students shared their experience with their academic mentors on a fortnight basis, with excellent feedback received from both students and the host club. Students’ increase in awareness of what “the real world” of sport actually is, was measurable from tutorial to tutorial: “These students are really keen to get involved but don’t necessary know how. The Bigger Splash offers them roles they have been trained to endorse. Today, sports’ clubs suffer from a lack of voluntary engagements from their own members, and would not necessary know the skills our undergraduate students from the School of Sport and Service Management can offer. The Bigger Splash is the link between these two words, and therefore makes complete sense.” says Dr. Jeanne Dekerle, one of the mentors for the Bigger Splash project.

The roles are designed to require minimal mentoring by the sports club itself, thus not overly increasing the workload of voluntary coaches and teachers. Students can undertake placements within community voluntary sports clubs utilising the pre-existing framework of the University-based volunteer support service - Active Student. The Bigger Splash hopes the outcomes from the project will be applied to many more community voluntary sports clubs throughout Eastbourne. This project has supported students to integrate, and ultimately graduate with skills and experience relevant to their degree, and facilitate sports clubs to remain dynamic centres of learning.

Jeanne Dekerle, Senior Lecturer School of Sport and Service Management Project Partners

Leigh Greenland (Eastbourne Swimming Club (ESC))

Dr. Jeanne Dekerle (Chelsea School, University of Brighton)

[J.Dekerle@brighton.ac.uk]