Town Success Centre helps turn young supporters into reporters
A group of fifteen Year 6 pupils from South Crosland Junior School attended the Huddersfield Town Success Centre recently to take part in ‘Supporter to Reporter’ - a national project aimed at improving the writing, speaking, listening and journalism skills of football mad school age children.The scheme, co-ordinated jointly by the For Success Foundation and Digital Me, is funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, a charity which aims to enhance the speaking and listening skills of children across the country. The Success Centre is one of only 11 centres across the country where the project is being delivered, the other centres including those at West Ham, Bolton Wanderers and Norwich City.
As part of the project the pupils involved were invited to complete a series of journalism based challenges including making a short documentary, conducting an interview, surveying public opinion and writing a report of a football match. The pupils from South Crosland attended Town’s home match against Fulham and have written a match report on it. The report will be uploaded onto the makewaves schools based secure social media website so that the reports can be viewed on the internet.
The pupils started the project by taking part in a tour of the stadium led by Club Ambassador Andy Booth. The pupils learned about: how the stadium is run and managed on a match day, stadium design and safety and, most importantly, the history of Huddersfield Town. The pupils were then challenged to write a presentation about the club and stadium and create a short documentary on it.
When the pupils involved have completed all their challenges and have uploaded all their work onto the makewaves website they will be awarded 3 ‘digital badges’ (a method used to recognise children’s achievements which can be stored and displayed online). A couple of lucky pupils will also be invited to attend the National Supporter to Reporter celebration event held in London in June.
The For Success Foundation is a national network of learning centres all hosted in high profile sports clubs. Huddersfield Town Success Centre is an associated member of the For Success Foundation.
Digital Me is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to equip young people with the skills and competencies they need to thrive in work and life in the 21st Century.
Huddersfield Town Success Centre is a schools and community focused educational centre jointly managed by Huddersfield Town and Kirklees Council and is based in the suite of classrooms in the Fantastic Media Stand. For more information ring Jeanette on 01484 234153.
