Connecting with schools and community
Hear from North Shields Rugby Football Club about how they engaged with their local community through partnering with schools, with insight into the difference the partnership is making in getting and keeping young people active through club-school links.
The video opens with the Buddle logo shown in the centre of a white screen, with the National Lottery and Sport England logos underneath it to the left, and the England Rugby logo underneath to the right. Upbeat music plays and continues in the background throughout the video.
The logos disappear and are replaced with text in the middle of the screen which reads ‘Buddle caught up with North Shields RFC to find out about how they have got involved with schools in the community to boost youth participation’.
The video then shows footage of two young male participants on a rugby pitch.
They are wearing rugby kit and passing a rugby ball to each other.
The shot changes to show a man speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as ‘Ian Hook from North Shields RFC’.
As he begins speaking, the backing track becomes quieter, and subtitles appear onscreen. Subtitles are used throughout the video.
Ian says: The All Schools Programme has been really beneficial, working with the schools, together within the community, getting the kids across, transitioning into the game.
The screen shows several young participants wearing rugby kit running across screen. In the background a blue shipping container can be seen.
The shot changes to show another male speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower left of the screen introduces him as ‘Simon Forster from North Shields RFC’.
Simon’s voiceover: We knew we had to secure the future of the club by getting youth in to come through. We didn’t have any minis or juniors, anything like that at the club and that’s why we got involved with the All Schools Programme.
As Simon speaks, the screen changes to show two young male participants in blue rugby shirts walking away from the camera.
The shot changes to show two young participants in red bibs walking across the screen. In the background a male coach, other participants and club house can be seen.
One young participant in rugby kit is then shown walking on screen, before the shot changes to show a close up of young male participants, all in rugby kit and walking together as a group.
The shot changes again to show one young participant in a red bib. He is smiling at another participant who has their back to the camera.
Several young participants can then be seen standing in a group and laughing together, before footage of a male participant in a red bib running and moving to tackle another participant, who has their back to the camera, is shown.
The shot changes to show another male speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as ‘Scott Powell, a Community Rugby Coach from the RFU’.
Scott says: The initial conversations with John Spence and North Shields was where we all got together and had a meeting to draw a plan out of what we was wanting.
The shot changes to show another male speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as ‘Adam Pilkington, Director of Sport at John Spence Community High School’.
Adam says: We first sat down with North Shields right at the very start of the programme when the chairman came down with the RFU and we started talking about rugby within schools and what they could offer and what we could offer them. And it was evident that we wanted to work together as a partnership.
As Adam is speaking, the video changes to show one young participant in blue rugby kit running to try and avoid a tackle from another young participant in a red bib.
Other young participants taking part in training drills are visible in the background. The video footage then changes back to show Adam on screen, before changing to show a group of young participants, some in blue rugby tops and some in red bib.
In the middle, a male rugby coach is holding a rugby ball under his right arm as he talks to the groups of participants.
The video footage changes to two young participants tackling each other with a group of other young participants stood behind them. One of the young participants falls to the floor whilst the other runs offscreen.
The shot changes to show another male speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as ‘Dave Reed, a Rugby Development Officer from the RFU’.
Dave says: The key objective for us and it has been all along is getting as many transitions to a club as possible and making sure that those kids have the best experience that they possibly can and the school environment is transferring to the club environment.
As Dave speaks, the video changes to show a male rugby coach holding up a rugby ball in his right arm and then dropping the ball.
In the background a group of young participants can be seen watching him.
The shot changes to shows one participant catching a rugby ball. Around him, other participants wearing blue and red bibs can be seen. The shot changes to show the male rugby coach. He is talking to people offscreen and holding a rugby ball under his left arm.
The video then returns to show Simon Forster speaking to the camera.
Simon says: The junior section now has a full team in one year and more under 14’s so we are absolutely delighted.
Whilst Simon is speaking, footage showing two lines of participants on a rugby pitch is shown One line of players is wearing blue and the other is wearing red bibs.
The group of participants in red can be seen passing the ball along the line whilst moving towards the participants in blue.
The video then returns to show Simon Forster as he finishes speaking, before a group of young participants playing rugby is shown.
One participant can be seen carrying the ball running towards two other participants who attempt to rugby tackle him. The participant carrying the ball falls towards the floor and places the ball down before being pulled away by another participant.
The video then returns to show Adam Pilkington speaking to the camera.
Adam says: First of all we had equipment brought to us, boots, gum shields, things that maybe provide barriers for some of our kids participating. Now they come down, get that equipment on and you know, they’re raring to go.
As Adam speaks, the video changes to show a young participant running with the ball whilst another young participant attempts to tackle him.
The participant running with the ball avoids two tackles as he runs in the direction of the camera.
Adam says: The other thing they support is coaching. We’re here this morning, on a Thursday morning, with coaches from the RFU and from our local rugby club who are delivering the programme for us, which is absolutely brilliant.
The footage changes to show a male coach holding a rugby ball in each hand whilst he is talking to several young participants who are on and offscreen.
The video returns to show Adam speaking to the camera, before footage of a different male coach talking to a larger group of young participants, some of who are wearing red bibs, is shown.
The shot changes to show a male coach running whilst demonstrating an exercise, before footages of two young participants running towards each other to make a rugby tackle is shown.
Adam’s voiceover: The kids get to know them, they get to know how they work, they’re enjoying the session. Now we offer rugby to every single year group and both boys and girls, so we have teams participating from Year 7 all the way up to Year 11 in all competitions.
The footage changes to show two different young participants running towards each other and attempting to make a rugby tackle.
One of the male coaches is then shown on screen blowing a whistle, before the shot changes to show a group of young participants crouched around a male coach. One of the participants passes the rugby ball to the coach who catches it. The footage changes to show one young participant running to avoid a tackle from another participant.
The video changes to show Simon Forster speaking to the camera.
Simon says: We’ve used a load of different techniques to integrate a full cross section of abilities.
As Simon is speaking, the footage changes to show a group of young participants sat down and watching as a coach and two participants demonstrate a training drill. In the drill, one young participant is lying on the floor with the coach stood next to him.
The other young participant is stood opposite and pushes the coach backwards until he is able to step over the participant lying down.
The shot changes to show another male speaking to the camera. A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as ‘Struan Hutchison, a Community Development Officer from the Newcastle Falcons’.
Struan says: We look at all core skills such as passing, tackling, offloading, rucking, and then try and put them all together with a bit of a game at the end of the session.
As Struan speaks, the video changes to show footage of a coach demonstrating the same training drill as before with two different participants, as other participants watch.
The footage then changes to show one young participant in a red bib running with a ball towards a group of other young participants in blue who are trying to tackle him.
The shot changes to show Struan blowing a whistle and holding a rugby ball under his right arm before the video returns to show Struan speaking to the camera.
Struan says: I like to keep the sessions nice and fun. Try to keep everyone involved as much as possible to try and keep it moving.
The footage changes to show one young participant running with a rugby ball whilst being tackled by several other young participants.
The video then changes to show Simon Forster speaking to the camera.
Simon says: It’s just important for me that the lads are with their mates, just having a good time and they feel like they’re going somewhere.
The footage changes to show one young participant in a red bib, smiling at someone offscreen as he walks in the direction of the camera.
The video then changes to show two young participants speaking to the camera, with rugby activity on the pitch behind them visible.
The young participant on the left of the screen speaks first. A caption on the bottom left of the screen introduces him as ‘William’.
William says: I think the coaching is really good, they give you a lot of helpful tips on how to improve and develop as a player.
As William is speaking, the video changes to show footage of one young participant on the ground whilst two others stand over him rucking. A coach can be seen overseeing the action.
The video then returns to the two young participants being interviewed, as the participant on the right begins speaking.
A caption on the lower right of the screen introduces him as Ethan.
Ethan says: At the first rugby session we just thought it’s just a bit of fun, something to do outside of school, but then we actually started to take it seriously and we’re starting to progress a bit.
As Ethan is speaking, footage of him smiling at another participant is shown. The shot then changes to show Ethan carrying the ball and running away from other participants during a training drill.
The video then changes to show Dave Reed speaking to the camera.
Dave says: It’s got to be about the kids and it’s got to be about the players and if it’s fun, they will come back time and time again.
As Dave is speaking, footage of a young participant in a red bib tackling another wearing blue is shown.
A wider shot of a rugby pitch is then shown as a rugby ball is kicked and other participants run to try and catch it.
The camera follows the ball as one of the young participants catches it and starts to run whilst avoiding tackles from other participants.
Adam Pilkington then says: The benefits that come with it, it’s not just the equipment -it’s the coaches, it’s everything you would need to build up a better sport (programme). If they want more people delivering their sport and they want more people playing their sport then the RFU have done a cracking job in terms of putting this together and offering it to schools.
As Adam can be heard speaking, the footage changes to show another young participant running up to attempt a tackle on another participant opposite them, who escapes the tackle and continues to run.
The shot then changes to show a young participant running towards the camera as another participant runs towards them, with their back to the camera, to try and tackle them.
The video then changes to show Adam Pilkington speaking to the camera, before footage of one young participant picking up a rugby ball from a participant who has been tackled to the floor and running with it is shown. That participant is then tackled and falls to the floor.
The video then changes to show Simon Forster speaking to the camera.
Simon says: We’ve now got good links with local schools, very good links with local schools and it’s actually put the club on the map.
Ian Hook’s voiceover: The benefits of working with the school is that we can build the game at all levels, at all different age groups. Hopefully these lads will be playing for our senior teams, safeguarding our future and developing the game for everyone’s benefit.
Footage changes to show the three male coaches seen throughout the video standing up and talking to a group of young participants who are sitting on the floor, before Ian Hook is shown speaking to the camera.
Footage of a small group of participants talking, smiling at the camera and laughing as they walk away is then shown, before a wider shot of lots of participants walking away from the pitch and towards the clubhouse area is shown.
The video changes to a white screen displaying the text ‘Want to work more with schools to enhance your organisation’s connections and reach within your community? Visit the Buddle website for more advice. https://www.thebuddle.co.uk/community/your-stories’.
A CBRE All Schools logo and the England Rugby logo are shown underneath the text. Underneath the two logos, the text ‘You can also try the “Use our School” tool which provides tried and tested solutions to support schools in opening their facilities to the community and keeping them open. http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/use-our-school/’.
The text and logos disappear from the white screen and are replaced with the Buddle logo in the center of the screen with the National Lottery and Sport England logos underneath it to the left and the England Rugby logo underneath it to the right. The video ends.