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£1.45M FOR ACTIVE CAMPUS NETWORK IN SCOTTISH COLLEGES

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Scotland’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, has today announced that it will invest up to £1.45 million over the next two years to create a new ‘Active Campus Network’ in colleges across the country.

 The Active Campus Network will be delivered in partnership with Scottish Student Sport and Colleges Scotland. It will strengthen the existing network of sport and physical activity staff already working within the college sector through the appointment of new Active Campus Coordinators. Sportscotland Active Campus announcement

Active Campus Coordinators will work to increase participation opportunities for students, with the first expected to be in post for the start of the academic year in August. It is anticipated that up to 18 Active Campus Coordinators will initially be appointed in colleges across the country. There is an aspiration that Active Campus Coordinators will be appointed in every Scottish college.  

Central to the daily work of Active Campus Coordinators will be the creation of participation opportunities that improve the physical and mental wellbeing of students and staff. The innovative project will also further enhance the approach colleges take to creating high quality, effective work-based placements for sports students, helping equip them for potential future employment opportunities.

Details of the planned investment were confirmed at Scottish Student Sport’s 2023 Conference by Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, who said: “This exciting new partnership will help put sport and physical activity at the centre of college life by giving students across the country the opportunity to get active, significantly benefiting the physical and mental wellbeing of participants.  

“It will also create and support job opportunities in colleges across the country as well as providing work-based placements for students, helping to strengthen the already fantastic work being carried out across the college sector. We are looking forward to the first Active Campus Coordinators getting to work this August.”    

Chief Operating Officer of Scottish Student Sport, Stew Fowlie, said: “All of us at Scottish Student Sport are delighted to be working with sportscotland and the other national partners including Colleges Scotland on the Active Campus Network. This is a real game changer for the college sector and is a terrific recognition of the huge power colleges hold to help meet sport, health and education outcomes in tandem. 

“We see great value in working closely with sportscotland and this project promises to further strengthen our existing links. We have been greatly encouraged by the uptake from colleges seeking to be part of the network and in time we hope that full coverage can be achieved across our membership. We can’t wait to get started and to play our part in supporting this new national network to be a huge success.”

Chief Executive Officer of Colleges Scotland, Shona Struthers, said: “This investment is very timely for colleges. Establishing the Active Campus Network will bring sport into the heart of what colleges do by engaging with the wide college community on health, fitness and sport in a new way which really focuses attention on opportunities and increasing wellbeing. Many college students sadly experience mental health issues and this is a positive step in helping strengthen the link between better mental health and activity. 

“We’ve got great partners in sportscotland and Scottish Student Sport, and by working together this project will increase opportunities for activity as part of daily campus life. Colleges are civic anchors, and as well as giving opportunities to students and staff, there will be close working with local communities. 

“Sport is a big part of the identity of a college between competitive teams, learning and teaching for sport, health and wellbeing, and college students and staff taking part in sport and fitness every day across the country in gyms, pitches, sports halls and training grounds. The Active Campus Network is a real step forwards in the investment in sport for everyone at college.” 
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