Donore Harriers

Since 2005, Donore has been running a Fun Athletics Programme for primary and secondary school children in Inchicore and Ballyfermot. The project is administered separately from the club, but is an important part of the clubs strategy for involving local young people in athletics.

 

The Fun Athletics Programme aims to make sporting activities and skill building an integral and fun part of day to day activities for children from 7-15 years of age. The emphasis is on fun rather than on competition, encouraging a healthy lifestyle from an early age, stimulating a life-long involvement in sporting activity and encouraging participation in local clubs for sports such as basketball, football, swimming and athletics. 

 

 

Within two years the Fun Athletics Programme had an peak participation of 700 children per week, limited only by budget and coach availability. Despite resource limitations, the programme has evolved to incorporate a peer-to-peer training model where more experienced students are teaching younger children the sporting activities. This has enabled the programme to be less reliant on resources where the training work-load is not entirely with the coach, develops self-esteem and confidence among the young leaders and allows for a more sustainable and cost-effective model for schools. 

 

The Fun Activities Programme is grateful to the Ballyfermot Partnership (www.ballyfermotpartnership.ie) and the Pobal Dormant Accounts initiative (www.pobal.ie) who have consistently supported our work. In spite of reduced resources the programme continues to strengthen its approach and have a positive impact on young children in the communities of Ballyfermot and Inchicore. Indeed the programme has seen a number of its young participants take up athletics as an extra-curricular activity to great success.

 

The dedication and enthusiasm of an exceptional project co-ordinator in Donal Norton who has brilliantly administered the project with extremely limited funds, as well as the excellent coaching skills of Ann-Marie Brody and ex-international athlete John Downes have played an enormous role to the success of the project.

 

“The children acquire many new skills and enjoy it immensely.”

“Great, extremely well organised and very beneficial for the kids....All of the children loved it.”

“The coaches are brilliant. They have a fantastic rapport with the children as well as excellent control. The children as a consequence have learned so much from them.”

“…the children have become really enthusiastic about P.E. All the children are eager to get involved as not only the gifted at sport are rewarded, but all get involved.”

“The coaches are excellent with specialist knowledge in the field that a class teacher would not have. Their enthusiasm is passed on to the children.”

 

If you're looking to get involved in the Fun Athletics Programme or are interested in finding out more please send an email to info@donoreharriers.com.