By Brian Halford, ECB Reporters Network
Young people with SEND are being supported towards employment across Leicestershire through Super 1s hubs delivered by Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Foundation.
Super 1s is one of two programmes developed and funded by the Lord’s Taverners to help counties engage with young people with disabilities and help them develop within and beyond cricket.
The Cricket in SEND Schools programme aims to reach more than 20,000 young people with a disability who otherwise have limited access to sport. It provides participants with inclusive coaching, training for teachers and appropriate equipment.
The Super 1s, meanwhile, offer regular disability inclusive cricket hubs for people aged 12 to 25 within the community and the two Hubs run by the Foundation for the past two years have proved so successful that another two will be launched in the early part of this year.
The county’s commitment to supporting young people with SEND was recognised when Leicestershire’s Upstonsteel County Ground hosted the first East Midlands Super 1s regional festival last year.
Participants from Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire were split into groups in the morning session to receive a road safety workshop and work on their cricket skills at batting, bowling and fielding stations.
The afternoon then brought two matches before a concluding ceremony where all participants received a medal and each county nominated players for best batter, bowler, fielder and sportsmanship.
It was a highly rewarding day for all as the participants visibly gained confidence from the activities.
“It was really great seeing our Super 1s participants coming together to celebrate disability cricket with neighbouring counties,” said Namita Patel, managing director of Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation.
“Being able to host events like these is a great acknowledgment of all the work that we do throughout the year.
"As a foundation we aim to make our cricket sessions accessible to everyone, and our Super 1s hubs are a great example of this.”
The regional festival was a great success but the value of Super 1 hubs is ongoing. The Foundation runs two hubs in partnership with local disability charity Menphys who provide staff to support the participants throughout the sessions.
That support enables the sessions to have up to nine participants per hour, which amounts to 18 participants in the South Wigston group and nine in the Loughborough group.
There are currently 13 regular participants across the two hubs and their success has led to the planned launch of two new hubs in Hinckley and central Leicester.
“We have been running Super 1s hubs just shy of two years,” said Ashleigh Passant, Cricket Development Officer (Disability). “They are great fun and really rewarding both for participants and those of us who deliver them and we are always looking for new participants.
“Although they are cricket sessions, there is a big emphasis on workshops for the participants, especially with a focus on employability and personal development. The workshops are tailored to meet the demands of the Super 1s group. For example, some may attend CV writing or mock interview workshops, while others may learn about how to dress appropriately for an interview.
“Using cricket as a tool to provide skills such as these, plus many more, helps the betterment of society by providing participants with the necessary skills to face employment and to lead independent lives - all whilst enjoying playing cricket with their friends and peers.”
For more information on Super 1s across Leicestershire, please email AshleighPassant@leicestershireccc.co.uk