Active Schools

Secondary Schools

Student Sport Transitions Project

A new proejct has kicked off in Upper Hutt looking at secondary school aged student participation and transition in sports. As a result of the Kiwisport funding made available, Activation has developed this proejct in conjunction with Sport Wellington to investigate the drop off rate of school leavers and ease this transition back into club sport.

This new project aims to increase sport and recreation participation by Upper Hutt secondary school students and school leavers; and intermediate school children who are moving into secondary school. Traditionally, the model of participation in sport for the individual in New Zealand has been participation of children through clubs, then participation through the secondary school, and back to the club as adults. Research from the NZ Secondary School Sports Council shows us that participation rates in traditional sport at school leaver age drops significantly as does participation from intermediate aged children when they move onto secondary schools. Moreover, often individuals do not participate in sport in an organised manner following their departure from school, or movement to another school.

The project will work in a range of areas, looking at up skilling senior students and volunteers in our community to increase the capacity to offer sporting opportunities, promotional work of opportunities that exist, buddy up schemes to assist transtitions into secondary school sport, a portal website for young people to access key sporting contacts across the country - wherever they intend to persue further education or work, developing a database of leavers and their participation information and intensive work with local clubs to enhance their provision and promotion to young people. Through these actions and more we wish to acheive our four key objectives

• To get more Upper Hutt teenagers staying in sport after they leave secondary school
• To get more Upper Hutt intermediate aged school children to stay in sport when they transition to secondary school
• To get more Upper Hutt young people developing a love of sport and gaining a lifelong participation in sport
• To improve the skills and capacity to deliver grassroots sport to young people by schools, clubs and recreation organisations.

Any questions about this project please get in touch with Michael Mercer, Schools and Youth Activator.