If you’re keen to increase the numbers of younger people in your club, or climbing wall check out this funding opportunity before it’s gone.

Sportivate is a Sport England funded programme, managed by the County Sport Partnership Network across England, aimed at getting more 14-25 year olds more active more of the time. The programme provides 6-8 weeks of subsidised, or free, sessions with the aim of then retaining the young people within their chosen activity.  Sportivate is in its final year of funding and for many areas the final windows for applications will only be open over the next few months.  In most cases the funding has a particular focus on engaging women and girls, people with a disability and black, Asian, minority ethnic communities (BAME).

What will it fund?

You can apply for funding for

• instructors and coaches
• facility hire
• marketing
• transport to get participants to the facility
• support to sustain participation once the subsidised sessions have finished by, for example, offering incentives such as discounted membership fees. 

Who can Apply?

Mountaineering clubs, indoor climbing walls, schools, colleges and similar organisations are eligible to apply for the funding.

Projects not eligible for this sort of funding are those without a clear exit route, those focused on talented climbers or those that show poor value for money.

Several locations across the country have already delivered very successful Sportivate programmes.  One such programme is at West View Climbing Centre in Preston working with the Lancashire Sport Partnership. View a case study of the programme.  

Suggested ideas for local programmes

Here are some possible formats that your own Sportivate programme might take working with indoor climbing walls, clubs or schools/colleges. 

It is not an exhaustive list and some options may only be available if you have the appropriate facilities in your local area.

• 6-8 week programme at a local climbing centre for local Muslim ladies
• 5-7 week programme at a local climbing centre with the final session at a local outdoor crag girls ages 14-17
• 3-4 weeks at a school/college indoor climbing wall, 3-4 weeks at a local climbing centre for those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETS)
• 3-4 weeks at a school/college indoor climbing wall, 2-3 weeks at a local climbing centre, final session at a local crag
• 6-8 week programme at a local climbing centre (over the winter) with an additional session at a local crag when the weather improves for people with a disability
• 5-6 week programme at a local climbing centre with 1-2 sessions outdoors with instructors from a local BMC affiliated club

Linking up with partners such as schools, charities, and sport development teams will be a good way to promote your sessions and target young people. The BMC can help you out with this.

Some possible exit routes for the young people might include:

• Opportunity to join a local BMC affiliated mountaineering club
• Entering a climbing centre organised training programme
• Joining a new club organised by a climbing centre or school/college
• Climbing regularly at the climbing wall with access to students/young people’s rates
• NICAS and NIBAS schemes

How to apply for the funding

To help you find the details of your local Sportivate funding we've put together a list of all the County Sport Partnerships. Select your county area from the list to check the availability of funding in your area.

BMC partnerships officers are here to help and offer support if you have a project idea that you would like to submit.  Contact anyone of us for help and advice, we’d love to hear what you’re planning.

Jane Thompson-Clubs and Partnership’s officer for club enquiries

Jo Rowbottom- Equity and Partnership’s officer for women and girls, BAME, disability enquires

James McHaffie-Youth and Partnerships officer for youth enquires

We want to say a big thanks to every BMC member who continues to support us through the Coronavirus crisis.

From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you know that we've just launched a new U27 membership offer for just £1.50 / month? And with full membership from £2.50 / month, it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join-the-bmc-for-1-month-U27-membership

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