During the recent Association of College Sport (AoC Sport) in the Curriculum Conference, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) revealed that it will be combining cricket with BTEC qualifications.

The ECB explained how it had worked to map the ECB Activators course to BTEC units and provided colleges with new ideas to partner with a National Governing Body.

This will mean that the ECB Cricket Activators award can be delivered as part of the BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Sport. It will subsequently provide context for learners to achieve their Leadership, Event Organisation and Rules, Regulations and Officiating units, as well as offering extra-curricular cricket, organised by the students as part of their Indoor 24 competition.

With this new approach, there will be many benefits to colleges, the sport and, most importantly, learners:

• Learners will receive an ECB qualification and will also be able to continue their development within the community, or potentially at larger events through the vCricket Programme. 
  
  
• Colleges will be able to form a relationship with their local County Cricket Board, and will have a group of leaders ready to deliver an intra-mural Indoor 24 Programme. 
  
  
• The ECB will have more trained leaders delivering higher quality Indoor 24 programmes, leading to increased participation. 

For more information about the ECB Activators Course or the Indoor 24 Programme, please visit www.ecb.co.uk or contact Chris Lock at Christian.Lock@ecb.co.uk.

In partnership with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), we offer a Rugby Activators Award that can be delivered alongside the BTEC Level 3 Nationals.

By building rugby union into your BTEC curriculum, you can give your learners more opportunities to develop a variety of transferable skills, help them build confidence through the vocational experience, and let them take important elements of their BTEC in Sport within a rugby context through RFU-developed learning.

With this new approach, there will be many benefits to colleges, the sport and, most importantly, learners:

• Learners will receive a RFU qualification and will hopefully be motivated to pursue their leadership and coaching education by following the formal coaching and leadership pathway in the future.
  
  
• Colleges will be able to build links with their local rugby clubs and potentially highlight opportunities for their students to play, compete, officiate, lead and coach traditional or newer versions of the sport.

Research shows that the main reason people play sport is for social interaction, and the Rugby Activator work is all about delivering fun, safe, enjoyable activity.

For more information about the RFU Rugby Activators course, please contact Ben Russell at benjaminrussell@rfu.com.