This guidance document is intended to provide the following:
An overview of the Talent Inspiration Programme
An insight into what both athlete and team manager will be participating in on the residential camp
Nomination timeline and key dates
Roles and Responsibilities
Conditions of selection including criteria and person specification
Post event actions and information
Example case study
TALENT INSPIRATION PROGRAMME INFORMATION
The Talent Inspiration Programme (TIP) will bring together 200 young aspiring athletes and 75 up and coming team managers from across the country to participate in a 3 day residential learning experience in Manchester from Wednesday 2 – Friday 4 September 2015.
With young people at the heart of the programme, the activities are specifically designed to engage and inspire young people and encourage them to start thinking about how they can reach their sporting and leadership potential and the impact that it will have on their development as a young person.
Consisting of theoretical workshops, practical sessions and the opportunity to experience what it is like to be an athlete or team manager at the Sainsbury’s School Games Level 4 event, TIP will be a dynamic learning opportunity which will help to highlight the athletes’ talent pathway and team managers’ developmental opportunities available to support young people at a local level.
The Talent Inspiration Programme aims to:
Enable young people to gain a clear understanding of their talent and specifically how they can harness this when they return to their school
Provide young people with an insight into what it is like to compete or team manage at a major multi-sport event
Introduce the young people to new experiences through the opportunity to work with other like minded young people from across the country

ATHLETE INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROGRAMME
Led by experienced Athlete Mentors, who will showcase the world of an elite athlete and the journey it takes to reach the top, TIP athletes will:
Be pushed to understand what it truly takes to be the best
Be challenged by athlete mentors on their commitment and hunger to achieve
Understand how to take the next step in their sporting journey
Experience what it is like to be an athlete at the Sainsbury’s School Games Level 4 event.
Action plan to reach fulfil their potential
The workshops within TIP are specifically designed to challenge and inspire young aspiring athletes to encourage them to understand how they can maximise their sporting potential, challenge their attitude to performance and training, and highlight the impact that will have on their development as a young person.
Through the programme athletes will explore:
6 Keys to Success – through exploring 6 components of success, attendees will be challenged to analyse themselves as athletes and question whether they have what it takes to make the next step on their sporting journey.
Performance Improvement – will challenge common perceptions on what it takes to be the best and encourage athletes to understand the concept of Performance Improvement within their sport.
Athletes will be challenged to question their ability and the commitment required to break through into the next level of their sport.
Goal Setting – encouraging individual development, athletes will be encouraged to consider their dream goal and be supported to identify realistic personal steps to help them get there. TIP athletes will define the key elements of productive goal setting and be confident in their ability to overcome barriers to reach their goals.
Team YOU – a positive support network surrounding a young athlete is integral to their ongoing development and through TIP, athletes will be supported to identify those key people and recognise how their ‘Team You’ fit together and can be utilized to help them achieve success
Practical Challenge – athletes will be tasked to question their determination and their ability to develop the key competencies it takes to be a high performing young athlete. Through direct work sessions with NGBs, athletes will be made aware of the level of sport physical performance required when part of a talent pathway, testing how far they will go to achieve success.
Spectatorship – athletes will go behind the scenes at the Level 4 event and see firsthand the different challenges of competing in a multi sport environment, and how their peers cope with it.
Preparation, protocols of competition, and performance will all be observed and analysed, to identify the demands of elite performance.

Performance Parent
Behind every successful talented child achieving their dream there is a Performance Parent in the background playing in their part - therefore at TIP it’s not just the athletes who get the support.
During the event parents of the TIP athletes will be invited to participate in a Performance Parent workshop, specifically designed to highlight the learning from across the 3 days and showcase the role the parents can play in supporting their child to develop as to develop as an athlete.
TEAM MANAGER INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROGRAMME
Led by experienced tutors, using a range of methods the programme will enhance the skills and understanding of Team Managers and identify young people’s aspirations in relation to progression and development within the team manager role. Specifically, the TIP will:
Effectively prepare, support and inspire Team Managers for their on-going School Games and wider competitive experience
Identify and develop the core skills and qualities required to be an effective team manager
Support Team Managers to create a safe and effective team environment for athletes to achieve their sporting best
Provide a platform for learning, development and exchange across sports
The programme will build from local training and support and through workshops will focus on:
The skills and qualities of a Team Manager including; communication, working under pressure, being a role model, understanding the relationship between team management and the athletes experience of competition,
The differences in Team Manager roles across sports,
An observation programme alongside young people involved in the Athlete strand of TIP to experience the atmosphere of a multi sport event, see what it is like for both competitor and team manager at the games and understand the impact the environment can have on team performance.
Consider the Team Managers next steps including local club/school team placements and personal development action planning
LOGISITICS INFORMATION
Transport- young people will be expected to make their own way to Manchester to attend the residential experience.
Accommodation, catering and local transport- when young people arrive at the event all costs will be covered and we don’t expect young people to bring any spending money or cover any costs.

Safeguarding and Inclusion- A safeguarding and inclusion team will be present throughout the residential camp. The inclusion team will also make contact with all parents before the camp who have a child attending with a disability or medical condition.
All staff involved in the event will hold an Enhanced DBS or CRB check
Further information on the Youth Sport Trust’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures can be found http://www.youthsporttrust.org/about-us/safeguarding.aspx
Kit and resources- All young people attending will be provided with kit and resources to support their learning. We expect young people to bring additional sports trousers and trainers. No specialist sports equipment is required as young people will not be competing in their sport throughout the event.
A detailed information pack on the camp will be sent to all young people with confirmed places.
NOMINATION TIMELINE AND KEY DATES
Within the timeline there is scope for the LOC to amend deadlines if you would like to provide more time to review nominations or equally to provide more time for schools to nominate.
*Please be aware that it is expected that the nominations put forward for team managers are considered jointly between the local LCV School and the LOC; however the LOC is responsible for submitting the nomination forms.*
ACTION- before sending to schools please review the timeline and process and ensure it works for you.
Date
02.02.15
02.02.15 –
12.03.15
02.02.15 -
08.05.15
08.05.15
08.05.15-
05.06.15
05.06.15
08.06.15-
29.06.15
Action
LOC receive nomination form, criteria, guidance and programme information
LOC to complete Team Manager Expression of
Interest survey
LOC to share all information with schools and SGO’s
Schools/SGO’s to promote opportunity and encourage nominations
Deadline for all schools/SGOs to have submitted nominations to the LOC
LOC to review nominations, select final athletes and team managers and reserve young people and submit through the online tool to YST. The online tool will be sent to you at the end of April.
Deadline for LOC’s to submit nominations to YST
YST to contact young people directly to complete registration form.
YST to contact LOC’s to confirm young people attending the programme
Responsibility
YST
LOC
LOC
School/SGO
School/SGO
LOC
LOC
YST
YST

Process
Please find below two suggested processes for how to engage and communicate with schools and
SGO’s about the programme. We strongly recommend that you approach SGOs and the LOC group in advance to ask them which method they think will provide a stronger response from schools; this will also depend on SGOs capacity during the time period. Also remembering that for Team Manager nominations it is crucial to engage with your local LCV school.
Process 1:
School Games Organisers liaise directly with schools to collect nominations and send to LOCs asking them to go out to schools, collect in nominations and pass them on to you.
Please note we would expect SGOs to go out to every Secondary and Special school in their area that are registered as part of the School Games.
SGOs submit all nominations to the LOC who collect and review
Process 2:
LOCs approach schools directly regarding the opportunity, copying in SGOs so they are aware when emails are being sent and the content of them.
Schools then submit nominations directly to LOCs to collate and review
LOC Panel
Once all nomination has been collected we recommend that a panel meets to review all nominations to decide on the final candidates to put forward to YST. We would like LOCs to decide the most appropriate and convenient way to do this and have included some suggestions below:
A small group of LOC members review nominations, including the Head Teacher Chair
A panel of SGO’s and LOC members meet to review nominations, allowing some local intelligence
Arrange a panel meeting virtually over Skype or asking for feedback from a group to decide the outcome
Include the TIP attendees from 2014 on the panel
Our recommendation is to include SGOs in the panel and to ensure the process is fair and transparent by sharing with schools and SGO’s beforehand how you will be making the decision on which nominations to put forward.
Recognising ALL nominated young people
We understand that for all young people selected by their school, this is a great achievement and we will be acknowledging all nominations by providing LOCs with a letter template to send to the school and young people who have not made it to the final selection congratulating them on being nominated and recognised for their talent and commitment to sport.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES- PRE, DURING AND POST CAMP
Local Organising
Committee (LOC)
Leadership, Coaching and Volunteering Lead
School (LCV) and SGOs
Prior to TIP Programme
Using the guidance provided work with schools and other relevant partners to identify and agree suitable athletes to nominate
Team Manager Strand - Work with LCV
School to agree and coordinate nominations of suitable young people to be considered.
Submission of Nomination forms
Inform those successful of their places and the next steps in relation to registration process.
Working together to agree and coordinate nominations of suitable young team managers to be considered.
Submission of Nomination forms
During TIP Programme After TIP Programme
Work with relevant local organisations e.g.
County Sport Partnership and local sports clubs and schools to identify –

Ongoing school and community sport opportunities to further develop Team
Manager skills

Identify a Mentor to support the young person develop and grow in the role of Team Manager and subsequent roles within sport
Feedback impact on young people to YST to support further development
Work with relevant local organisations e.g.
County Sport Partnership and local sports clubs and schools to identify –

Ongoing school and community sport opportunities to further develop Team
Manager skills

Identify a Mentor to support the young person develop and grow in the

School that Young
Person nominated attends
Parents
Young Person
Work with LOC to provide suggestions of suitable young people to be nominated
Liaise with young people and parents to inform them of the opportunity, their commitments.
For those successful support completion of registration forms
Complete and submit relevant details on the Registration forms by 22 June
2015
Undertake pre-event tasks (these will be distributed closer to the event)
Opportunity to attend Performance Parent session on Friday 4 September, further information will be sent closer to the event.

Engage with and fully commit to
 the Programme to get the best experience possible
Follow agreed codes of conduct role of Team Manager and subsequent roles within sport
Feedback impact on young people via LOC to support further development
Where appropriate provide suitable mentoring to athletes/team managers to support them to continue to achieve their potential

throughout

Consider support required and next steps after leaving the Programme

HAVE FUN
CONDITIONS OF SELECTION
LOC Nomination requirements:
ATHLETES
LOC’s are requested to nominate one female, one male and one disabled young athlete, and three reserves, who fulfil the following criteria and person specification:
Criteria:

Age- Year 8-10 (when attend the TIP in September 2015 year 9-11). For disabled young athletes the age range is Year 8-12 (when attending TIP in
September 2015 Year 9-13)

Sainsbury’s School Games- Nominated athlete must have competed at either Level 1, 2 or 3 of the Sainsbury’s School Games but this does NOT have to be in the sport they have exceptional talent in.

Level of ability- Currently participating at county or regional level but not currently part of a National Governing Body (NGB) talent pathway or playing at national standard. Please double check this with your students before selecting.

Attend a school registered to the Sainsbury’s School Games.

Demonstrate outstanding sporting potential in one or more sports.

Person Specification- ability to show these skills or potential to demonstrate:
Positive leadership qualities and a positive attitude to improving themselves and their sporting performance
Confidence in communicating with peers and adults and able to share their experiences of the programme when returning to school
Pro active and motivated. Keen to develop, learn from others and try new activities
Ability to work well in a team; respecting the contributions of others and able to share their own ideas and opinions
TEAM MANAGERS
LOC’s are requested to nominate young people who fulfil the following criteria and person specification:
Criteria:

Age- Year 8-10 (when attend the TIP in September 2015 year 9-11). For disabled young people the age range is Year 8-12 (when attending TIP in September 2015 Year 9-13)

Sainsbury’s School Games- Nominated young people must be actively involved as a team manager at either Level 2 or 3 of the Sainsbury’s School Games or within community sport.

Attend a school registered to the Sainsbury’s School Games.
Person Specification- ability to show these skills or potential to demonstrate:

Willingness to learn new skills and has a commitment to self-development

Ability to motivate and inspire others and is an excellent role model

Ability to apply knowledge learnt through previous training to be a more effective
Team Manager

Ability to work as part of a team to drive a great athlete experience for all athletes in their team

An ongoing commitment to supporting school or community sport
The attached nomination form will look to demonstrate the team manager fits the conditions of selection.

POST EVENT ACTIONS AND INFORMATION
Following on from the event we will be asking TIP graduates to complete tasks to further inspire other young people in their school and area. The below suggestions are potential ways TIP graduates can fulfil this and also support staff and the LOC in helping to support others along their talent and sporting pathway. The below suggestions are not exhaustive and we would encourage you think how your young people can provide the maximum impact when they return. We will be advising TIP athletes at the event that their school and LOC will be following up with them and there is an expectation they will complete follow up work:
TIP graduates to run assemblies on their experience
TIP graduates to sit on the panel to select the young people for the 2016 event
Visit and be part of Level 2 or Level 3 events, providing advice for athletes and team managers on what they have learnt from the residential camp
Work with a specific teams at Level 3 of the School Games in preparation for and during
2015-2016
Working with teachers in school to help them to understand how schools can support athletes to achieve their best within their sport
Write a newsletter article for the LOC and school on their experience
Provide updates on their progress to LOC and the school
EXAMPLE CASE STUDY
A follow up email from a parent of a 2014 athlete
From a parents’ perspective, we were extremely impressed with the programme. I dropped Millie off and, inevitably as she didn’t know anyone, was quite concerned about how she would settle in.
However, the organisation was superb – she was instantly welcomed, introduced to her team and involved in activities. The staff were really friendly and enthusiastic – it became clear that there would be lots of great role models from the second we walked in and one of the helpers recognised the top she was wearing and started talking about 800m to her! My husband attended the talk for parents at the end and found this helpful and interesting.
Millie had a fantastic time and made some new friends from different sports who she is still in touch with. She came away really fired up about what she wants to achieve in athletics and with a number of clear goals (the first of which, qualifying for English Schools Cross Country, she has already achieved). The programme appears to have given her a good springboard to keep her motivated through the cross country season (which she hates!) - She’s seeing the bigger picture better and is clear about her priorities for the track season. She is much more aspirational about her athletics and thinks proactively about how she might build it into her plans for the future. The tips for how to balance sport with different aspects of your life have proved particularly helpful in her GCSE year.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience that we feel made a real difference to Millie as an athlete. One of her goals now is to come back to Sheffield in 2014 for the School Games – feeling part of last year’s event really inspired her. She still wears her Talent Inspiration kit all the time!

APPENDIX ONE
Additional Support Document – TEAM MANAGER
Job Description of a Team Manager
Many areas may have young people identified to do a role that perhaps is called something other than that of a team manager e.g. team liaison, team coordinator or is part of the generic role of volunteers within your School Games workforce therefore below are the common elements that those young people would undertake that aligns with that of a TEAM MANAGER -
The TEAM Manager role consists of three key areas:
PREPARATION — ensuring everything is ready for the tournament, matches or seasons e.g. kit, transport, enough players to compete, location of competitions or matches.
SCHEDULING — Getting things in the correct order, helping everyone understand what they have to do, where they need to be and taking care of the small details e.g. ensuring all team members eat at the right time and know when and where they are competing
PEOPLE — looking after the players and performers, working with the coaches and liaising with officials.
Team Manager - Person Specification
The characteristics and qualities that successful team managers possess and will further develop through the TIP are listed below -
Well organised
Good communicator
Caring
Approachable
Calm and patient
Efficient
Ability to delegate

Willingness to learn new skills and has a commitment to self-development

Ability to motivate and inspire others and is an excellent role model

Ability to apply knowledge learnt through previous training to be a more effective Team
Manager

Ability to work as part of a team to drive a great athlete experience for all athletes in their team/sport

An ongoing commitment to supporting school or community sport