LEADER+ Transnational Watersports Project
Youth Surfer Development Project
This project has continued to evolve since its cooperation during the summer of 2005. Following early discussions between LEADER+ representatives and surfers from the three regions involved (North Devon, Ouest Cornouaille, Brittany, France and Donegal, Ireland) it was agreed that a training exchange programme for young surfers should be set up. The aim was to give selected young surfers an opportunity to learn all about the surf industry, improve their level of surfing and benefit from cultural exchanges. Emphasis would also be placed on marine environmental awareness and sea safety issues.
This aspect of the project is about to go live, with application forms being sent via schools in April 2005 and a selection competition in May 2005 to assess the young surfers motivation, attitude and ability. Six surfers will be selected, and the first exchange week will be in Donegal,Ireland at the end of August 2005.
All three regions are at a similar level of project development, with only Brittany having to secure a little match funding to go ahead. This has taken some careful coordination, but luckily all individuals involved have been very keen and pro-active to make this happen. There were a few discrepancies as to how LEADER+ actually worked in each country, and it has been a learning experience for everyone involved. Flexibility has been the key!
A local spin-off of this project has also been evolving. Ideally, in the long term, exchanges will be set up between School Surf Clubs via the contacts established in the transnational project to carry on the exchange weeks. It became apparent after extensive consultation with North Devon's surfing community that School Surf Clubs were restricted in their operations because of a lack of adequate organiser qualifications. LEADER+ has teamed up with the School Sports Coordinator Programme to provide training to School Surf Club organisers across the region in Beach Life Guard and Surf Coach qualifications and PSV Minibus licenses.
This will enable the Clubs to be much more active and access the beach on a regular basis. Schools training and competing together will be a real possibility. Transport and equipment share will also be explored.
Partners for this project to date: PE-DPA-SS Partnership (Physical Education-Daily Physical Activity-School Sport, School Sport Coordinators, Great Torrington Specialist Sports College, North Devon Marketing Bureau, Croyde Surf Club, Saunton Sands Surf Life Saving Club, Devon County Council, British Surfing Association and Surfing Croyde Bay.
The current status of this project: Funding secured, the project is live.
Click on the links below to read about the various projects:
