News | KYLOE HOUSE
As part of their ongoing SUNEE work in the community, interns from Team Northumbria have been undertaking a coaching role at the children’s secure home, Kyloe House.
Multi sports coach intern, Martin Hall has been leading weekly sessions at the centre for secure looked after children.
Coaching hourly sports sessions for groups of 6-8 children, Martin has a hands-on role in the organising and delivering of the multi sports activities.
However, it’s not just the children who gain from the coaching, Martin and numerous other volunteers are also benefiting. In the long run, SUNEE is dedicated to helping the university’s students become more employable and add something else to their CVs.
Students have the opportunity to work with small groups, coaching the children on not just mainstream sports such as football, basketball and tennis. But they can also introduce new sports such as ultimate Frisbee, bench ball and dodgeball and add something new to their own repertoire.
Kyloe House can take a little bit of getting used to. The numerous locked doors and big brother style cameras can be a little unnerving at first but once the sports begin, the surroundings don’t seem to matter.
“I’ve never had a problem with the group, they sometimes need a little convincing with new sports, but once we get into it they really enjoy it,” added Martin.
First up is rounders and the group, today about six or seven (with some of the helpers involved too), seem to be in an energetic mood. The most noticeable feature of the group is the ratio of girls to boys, with only one boy taking part.
After a few home runs it doesn’t take long for the kids to ask Martin for their favourite sport.
“The kids can’t seem to get enough of dodgeball, they ask for it every week!” said Martin.
Played with spongy balls, the game isn’t quite as cut throat as Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughan in ‘Dodgeball’, but some shrewd tactics soon put this reporter in his place and out of the game.
With the session over Martin explains his reasons for getting involved in Kyloe House.
“It gives me a chance to coach and get some much needed experience, I’m not sure exactly what I want to do when I finish university, but at least through SUNEE and Team Northumbria it gives me that something extra to offer!”
Article written by Andy Spoors, SUNEE Journalism Scholar at Northumbria University
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