Over the last couple of weeks the row over quangos has hit the headlines once again, with both Labour and the Conservatives wanting to crackdown and relight the ‘bonfire of the quangos’ on the lead up to a general election – despite it being a year out.

The term quango is widely used; however I was deeply concerned to hear Sector Skills Councils being referred to in this way by ill-informed spokespeople who clearly hadn’t done their research.

Sector Skills Councils are independent organisations licensed by government – we are a charity and a membership body. We are very much led by employers and our work is solely directed by an employer-strong board made up of representatives from across our sector. In fact, we are the only organisation that operates within the sport and active leisure sector that addresses the skills and productivity needs in sport, fitness, playwork, the outdoors and caravan industries.

Being licensed by government is a pre-requisite for all Sector Skills Councils. Through this licence, government buys a service from an organisation that meets specific criteria, and being employer led means that we can speak with authority to government departments about the skills needs, funding issues and general landscape of our sector. We can, and do, lobby government departments on behalf of employers as we know what the real issues are, and yes like quangos, we are seen as the experts in this field and we are not a government department; however unlike quangos, our work is directed by employers, and we are not fully supported by government funding.    

It’s important for me that people understand our status, we do not want to be seen as yet another government directed organisation that doesn’t know what its like on the ground. We do, we’ve done the research, and we’re out meeting employer’s everyday. We are developing solutions – such as the National Skills Academy – to ensure the sector has access to the best training provision, at the best price. We’re working with a sector that is primarily made up of micro and small businesses and we’re brokering funding on their behalf. We’re producing workforce development tools that help to build a well trained and professional workforce that deliver a quality service. We’re working across those many partner organisations that have a foot in the door of our sector, and we’re ensuring that they – through us – support more people, being more active, more often, so that the sector can grown, become sustainable and excel.

In short, we ensure that more people are better skilled to deliver the active leisure and learning agenda for benefit of the health and well-being of the nation, and that those people hold the qualifications that employers value. And that’s not the role of a quango.

If you’re a coach or leader working with young people, you’ll often find that there are two things standing in the way of your personal developement – time and money. The SkillsActive and Nancy Ovens Bursary could help with those by offering funding of up to £2000 for anyone working across the Active Leisure and Learning Sector to enhance their skills and knowledge in a way that traditional training courses cannot provide.

This can often be achieved by taking part in studies, work experience or activities outside of their day-to-day job, with previous applicants shadowing the best coaches in their chosen field or using the money to pay for cover in their day-to-day job so that they can volunteer elsewhere.

We’ve just produced a few new case studies of some of last year’s successful applicants, which you can download below:

• The first case study looked at aspiring basketball coach Ben Foster spent the summer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, coaching at various summer camps with Doug Noll, a top former player and assistant coach, who runs a worldwide basketball academy.
  
• The second case study looked at hockey coach Duncan Parnis travelled to Australia over the summer; here he took part in two projects, a coaching project at a successful Australian Hockey club, and ‘The Refugee Sports Project’ which helps children from war torn countries such as Sudan, Somalia and Afghanistan who find refuge in Australia.
• Finally, the third case study looks at how Nigel West spent three weeks in California in a bid to learn from some of the country’s top coaches. Despite having 22 years coaching experience, Nigel is always looking to develop his skills and the bursary presented the best opportunity to continue his personal development through a unique learning experience.

As you can see from these, and the other bursary recipients from 2006 and 2007, this is a really unique opportunity to develop a truely individual learning experience – it is these well thought out and unique experiences that the judging panel look for.

In previous years the majority of our applicants, and all of the recipients, have come from the sporting sector. Coaches from a variety of sports have benefited by learning from the very best coaches in their sport, and to do so have travelled worldwide in search of personal development. This year we’re keen to attract applicants from some of our other sectors, in addition to top coaches, who could equally benefit from learning from the best in their field, whether it be in the outdoors, playwork, health and fitness or caravans.

As such, we’ve been running a series of articles on how applicants from each of these sectors might chose to develop their skills in Playwork, the Outdoors, Caravans, Sport and Recreation and Health and Fitness.

The closing date for applications for the SkillsActive and Nancy Ovens Bursary is 12 May, so applicantions need to be made quickly. Find out more at www.skillsactive.com/nancyovensbursary

My work here in Beijing is now at an end, as the Paralympics prepares for the closing ceremony but for me it has started what could hopefully be a bright future.

I have only one regret about these games in Beijing and that is that they have finally ended but there is no time to waste on matters that can’t be changed. For me it is now time to fully focus on the future.

Having the opportunity to work here as a volunteer is one thing in my life I will never regret. I have so many happy memories and have seen some fascinating sports, world records, Olympic records as well as Paralympian being set and broken.

One thing I will say is that volunteers are a key factor to the Olympics running as well as they do so hopefully in London many more people will get the same or a similar opportunity as I have.

My final work shift was last night and I watched world records come and go, something a year ago I thought would never happen, it is amazing what life can throw at you.

Also my last interview was with South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius aka the “Blade runner” who for the final race of the evening smashed the World record in the men’s 400m. What a way to finish my Paralympic experience.

From here though I have one day to pack and prepare for my long journey back to England. Whilst I have been here I feel I have matured, grown as a person learnt many lessons and improved in my journalistic capacity.

Don’t get me wrong I have also had great fun, and since I have made so many Aussie friends you learn to be slightly more out going and you constantly have fun whether it be at work or on the social side of life.

I am honoured to have been at these games, it has been a dream come true, I hope to be at 2012 for London but you never know what is round the corner, all I can say is if your young enthusiastic and love sport- get yourself to the games. It truly can be life changing!

Finally I am happy after 3 months to be going home to be reunited with my family and friends. I have to also say how happy I was writing this blog for SkillsActive, I hope in some way I have helped some of you learn more about being an Olympic volunteer and tracing some of my thoughts and feelings on the subject.

Remember this if you only remember one thing:

“Volunteers represent the Olympic Spirit”

Jacques Rogge, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee

On this final note I will say goodbye and thankyou.