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West Dunbartonshire Council
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Playground Leader Training

playground leader training

As active playgrounds are a key area of our work, since 2004 training has been offered to P6/7 pupils in Primary Schools to enable them to become 'Play Leaders', helping to make their playgrounds safer, more active, more fun and more positive environments.

 

Play leader training is delivered by Primary Coordinators either during school hours or after-school and typically requires four to five, one hour sessions to complete. Once completed, Play Leaders are timetabled to work – typically in pairs or threes, two lunchtimes per week. Some of their duties include: being in charge of the play equipment, organising games for younger children, managing zoned areas (e.g. Skipping,

Basketball, or Bat + Ball Zones), organising games for P1-4 children and being in charge of the storage and tidiness of equipment. There are numerous benefits of the Play Leader Scheme, many of which are linked to the curriculum:

 

  • Encouraging young people to take responsibility for themselves and those they are leading.

  • Developing leadership skills such as communication, organisation, motivation and the raising their self-esteem.

  • Encouraging working with others, planning and self review.

  • Providing opportunities for older children to work with younger children, therefore promoting integration and social inclusion.

  • Reducing problems associated with bullying and inappropriate behaviour.

  • Encouraging cooperation and helps to develop moral and social skills.

 

Recently the Sport Leaders UK - ‘Young Leader Award’ has been introduced for the training of play leaders. Focusing on specific skills such as giving instructions, organising people and equipment and the use of space. Young Leaders ‘learn by doing’ and by the end of the course, will not only have the confidence and ability to lead others but will also have knowledge and experience of an extensive range of games and activities. To make the scheme more sustainable, a number of schools are moving towards a member of the school community to deliver this training.

 

If you would like to know more about Play Leader Training in West Dunbarton or would like to get involved, please contact the Active Schools team using this email link.