Tankerton FC Children's Deaf Team – ‘RISE’ To THE CHALLENGE
Canterbury City Council opened its Innovation Grant applications for encouraging new projects or services that meet local need in innovative and creative ways and promoting growth and diversity by supporting innovation and developing skills. Grants were to be awarded for innovative organisational development work for those organisations already delivering against their corporate priorities, or for an innovative project in its own right which will deliver against their corporate priorities. There was a great focus placed on learning from these projects and sharing this learning with the wider community.
We are delighted to announce that on 24th January 2018, Tankerton FC was awarded a grant of £3000 for setting up and [starting a legacy] for its new Children’s Deaf Team – for children with any levels of deafness or hearing impairment. Our club identified a gap for children with severe deafness and/or impaired hearing to participate in football activities across the County. Children with hearing issues often feel excluded; socially dis-engaged and deprived from participating in sport due to requiring some additional support. We wanted to make a difference to these young people and decided to kick start a new initiative and set up a brand new team specifically for these children to help engage them within the community. These children show a passion for football and there is clear talent amongst them from the sessions we have held so far, and as a Community club we welcomed the opportunity to get them active in sport. We are now inspiring more children through culture and other social activities to participate in sport, feel all-inclusive and gain confidence as well as making new friendships.
We are delighted the team is now established; we hope other sports club can learn from our experience and take the confidence to set up similar teams in their sporting fields. Tankerton FC will positively share our experiences to build best practice, and will continue to raise deaf awareness, with continued support from Kent County Football Association as well we really can make a difference.
