Learning to Play is a football and life skills project for adults with learning disabilities and Down’s syndrome, which is being funded by Comic Relief’s ‘Sport for Change’ programme from 2011-2014.
 
Coventry City’s Sky Blues in the Community work closely with local partners including Grapevine, Henley College, Hereward College and the Down’s Syndrome Association to provide weekly football coaching sessions, allowing people to take part in regular fun and sociable physical activity opportunities.
 
Sky Blues in the Community also work with the project partners to design and deliver a series of workshops to support adults with learning disabilities and Down’s syndrome, with topics including healthy eating, preparing food safely, managing finances, understanding your benefits entitlement, and building relationships. The workshops aim to support individuals by providing skills that will help towards people living a happy, healthy and independent life.
 
Henley College and Hereward College offer exit routes in terms of further training and education opportunities for those involved, whilst project participants will also be able to access the numerous further support and advocacy services that Grapevine already offer for individuals with learning disabilities.
 
Those involved with the project also have the opportunity to take an FA Level One coaching qualification and will be encouraged to volunteer within the project, and a new team has been formed representing Sky Blues in the Community in the West Midlands Ability Counts football league from the 2012-13 season.
 
Olly Dawson, Sport for Change Project Manager at Comic Relief said “The Sky Blues in the Community ‘Learning to Play’ project is something Comic Relief is extremely happy to be supporting with a grant of £62,219.
 
“The needs of adults with learning disabilities can quite often be overlooked and many people don’t access the services or support that is out there for them.
 
“At Comic Relief we are keen to ensure that our funding reaches all parts of the community and supports those people most in need. This project does exactly that, and provides an exciting opportunity for key partners to work together and use sport and football to promote physical activity, and more importantly to provide a range of support services to contribute to a happier, healthier life.”
 
Ellen Allcock, Deputy Director of Grapevine added “Grapevine are delighted to be working as partners with CCFC. This is an exciting project and it lets people with learning disabilities combine football and life skills. 
 
“It is great that the club have got the support from Comic Relief to do something so original and its great for Coventry that its happening for people with learning disabilities in our City.”
 
For more information or to register an interest in the Learning to Play project, please contact Craig White on 024 7678 6313 or email craig.white@ccfc.co.uk