Belfast Activity Centre

Public benefits

Public benefits include health and well- being, physical fitness, skills development and a wide spectrum of personal development benefits and outcomes including: Communicating, Managing Feelings, Problem Solving, Working Together, Planning, Reviewing, Understanding Social Values, Understanding & Identifying with Others. Skills development benefits

include accredited training nationally recognised awards. In addition education training is provided for awards accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) and Award Scheme Development And Accreditation Network (ASDAN). The benefits are directly to the individual participants and indirectly to wider society as many participants participant as part of a leadership training and development programme to support community capacity building. A range of numeric, audio, visual recording, individual testimonial, group review and feedback tools are applied to capture, review and evidence impact. Personal development benefits are measured and evidenced in terms of increase in self-confidence, self-reliance, self-esteem, increase in problem solving abilities, improved communication, inter-personal and negotiation skills. The benefits are designed to enable participants to become better equipped with the life skills necessary to provide a positive citizenship role and enhance their opportunities for providing an economic return back into society through employment or volunteering. BAC engages people considered at most disadvantage, socially and economically, including people with physical and mental disabilities, people from severely disadvantaged communities and marginalised groups including ethnic and minority communities. Activities are accessible to groups of all ages and both genders. An equality of opportunity and access is offered to all members of the public irrespective of ability, background, creed, culture or religion with groups typically coming from the community and voluntary sectors (including youth clubs and organisations, charities, churches), the statutory sector (including schools and groups and organisations that benefit from longer term grant funded programmes), and the private sector (including corporate groups and individual family and friends groups). BAC operates a “Challenge by Choice” ethos. Participation presents the scope for a perceived potential for harm, actual potential for harm and in some instances actual physical harm that in most instances are as a consequence of what is deemed “slips, trips and falls” that can result in minor brushing, cuts and abrasions. This risk or perceived risk is managed through strict application, monitoring and enforcement of standard operating procedures alongside risk assessments for all activities delivered by fully qualified instructors and coaches who are REC Level 3 HSE First Aid qualified as first responders. All assigned instructors and coaches hold a relevant National Governing Body (NGB) Awards or Qualifications. Where NGB qualifications do not exist instructors and coaches complete a rigorous in house training programme to support skills development and to ensure safety and quality in delivery independently verified by highly skilled technical advisers. All instructors and coaches are Access NI Enhanced Disclosure vetted, receive Safechild online child protection training and Annual child protection refresher training. Amateur sports, outdoor adventure learning or accredited training is not offered for personal gain or financial advantage. Qualifications gained may enhance employment opportunity but this is considered an incidental benefit. The primary benefit is to equip individuals to provide a more meaningful and positive contribution to family, community and wider society. Training is provided for the purpose of leadership development to support capacity building within communities in order to sustain a greater number of amateur sports and outdoor adventure activities through direct community delivery.

What your organisation does

Provides personal and social development opportunities primarily for children and young people (8 - 25 years) using the vehicle of amateur sports and outdoor adventure learning activities.