Easter Coaching  [April 2009]
The school Easter break during April 2009 took place for 2 weeks between Monday the 6th of April and Friday the 17th . These dates spanned two complete weeks and as such saw the Factory Skatepark kick off it’s 2009 holiday programmes. For the first time the programme was part funded by the local Fairer Scotland Fund, this allowed 8 individuals from the DD4 8 catchment area each week the opportunity to access the all day provision between 10am-3pm at a hugely subsidised rate.

Week 1
During the first week of the Easter coaching a total of 34 young people signed up to take part in the actual coaching element of the holiday programme. Of the 34, 18 made the 5 days of coaching, with the remainder mainly accessing 4 days provision and 5 people only attending one day. Of those that took part in the coaching 21 were to stay on all day to take part in the afternoon youth activities. These activities were varied so as to keep participants interest and also involved an out door trip which during week 1 was to the bowling. The programme for the week was as follows:-


Week 2 saw 27 participants in the actual coaching element of the programme with 23 of these participants staying on all day again 8 places were allocated through the F.S.F. fund and all participants gladly accepted the subsidised places. In week 2 everyone bar 3 participants signed up for the entire week and the day trip was to Camperdown park which incorporated the wildlife centre and the adventure playground.

Overall the programme was a great success and allowed 61 children and young people the opportunity to take part in sport coaching and youth activities throughout the Easter holiday’s. The afternoon activities allow for all to be catered for because of the varied nature of the programme incorporating both sport and art, and the day trips give the young people a real focus for the week.

It is however the morning coaching that gives those involved a real sense of achievement, this is solely down to the improvement in their skating skills, by the end of the week most are confident on either board or blades and can tackle at least one or two of the ramps.