Discussing a journey that has spanned the entire scope of the programme’s existence, Alison’s career has evolved alongside Active Schools. As Alison reflects on her time within Active Schools in Clackmannanshire, she not only celebrates the milestone successes they have had - but also looks toward a future where the workforce can continue to flourish.
Beginnings
Alison’s story with Active Schools started back in 2001 – after she had began training at Moray HouseCollege in Glasgow to become a PE teacher. The four-year course had laid down in her a desire for a future career in sports development, however, it wasn’t until the launch of the initial pilot programmes for Active Schools that Alison’s path would be set.
Originally appointed as a Coordinator within the Clackmannanshire Local Authority, Alison was tasked, alone, with overseeing the implementation of Active Schools within local primary schools.
During this period of Scottish sport, Alison remembers that there was a strong emphasis on “play” as key to addressing physical activity levels in children. However, while this focus has shifted over time to a more targeted and structured approach, the core principles within Active Schools, remain intact. “The foundation of Active Schools still remain a constant and I think volunteers will continue to play a key role in making it all happen,” says Alison.
Active Schools
Fast forward to the present, and Alison is now the Clackmannanshire Sport & Leisure Team Leader, of which Active Schools is one part. In this role, she oversees the broader scope of the programme. Despite the growth and challenges of the programme, Alison’s perspective remains grounded;
"Working in the Active Schools programme, there is a possibility that you can try to be everything to everyone," she admits. "I think this is still a challenge across all Local Authorities. I think you could honestly easily split yourself into nine trying to do everything you want to do."
That feeling of being pulled in many directions highlights one of the most significant challenges faced by those working in Active Schools: balancing the ever-growing demands of a successful programme.
“In a way, the programme is a victim of its own success, which is a good thing,” Alison says. The sheer number of participants means there’s a constant need for prioritisation. As a result, Alison and her team regularly have to step back and really ask themselves, “what do we want to achieve here?”.
The impact of the programme
After two decades, Alison continues to feel inspired by the impact the programme has on the lives of the young people who get choose to get involved.
“There’s something about the work you do - and seeing the difference that it makes to the participants. It definitely keeps you going,” Alison said.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the programme, according to Alison, is the ability to reach those who are typically disengaged from both sport and school. “In some cases, kids only come to school because of the after-school clubs that exist,” she explains.
The next generation
One of Alison’s biggest passions continues to be providing young people with opportunities in both coaching and the administrative roles within the programme.
“Sometimes when people are looking for graduate jobs in sport, they think it’s enough to have some experience in coaching,” Alison said. “However, there’s more to it than just leading a session.”
To truly thrive in the field, Alison believes young professionals need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire process. She encourages her volunteers to not only to learn how to coach a session, but also to grasp the planning, logistics, and decision-making that go into making the session happen in the first place. "There’s a whole spectrum of CPD experiences and qualifications that will help our volunteers flourish in the future," Alison explains. “It’s about preparing them for the complexities of the job, ensuring that they leave with skills that extend beyond the usual.”
