Information for athletes and their families
Hi, I’m Kate, the KEEN co-ordinator. I'll be running KEEN for the 2009 to 2010 academic year. If you’re a parent I’m the person you’ll speak to about signing your child up for KEEN’s activities, and if you’re a prospective athlete I’m the person who will pair you with one of our volunteers at the beginning of sessions.
What is KEEN?
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) is a charity run by Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University students which provides sporting and recreational activities for children and young adults with special needs in the Oxfordshire area.
Who is KEEN is for?: The KEEN 'athletes'
Since its humble beginning in 1988 as a tennis club for a handful of participants, today KEEN offers activities to over 250 “athletes” (children and young people with special needs) whose needs and abilities vary enormously. Some have learning difficulties and others are physically disabled.
How can I register my child?
Athletes can be registered with KEEN from the ages of 4 to 18. We also run an over 18s social club, called GrEAT, for which participants can sign up between the ages of 18 and 25. To register contact Kate, the KEEN co-ordinator by phoning 01865 794198 or email keen@keenoxford.org.
Who runs KEEN?: The student ‘coaches’
KEEN is run by students from Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities and local young people, our KEEN “coaches”. All of our coaches are volunteers. This may be the first time that have met or worked with anyone with special needs. Although we do offer regular voluntary training sessions, many of our volunteers will not have had any training.
Our coaches run all of our sessions. Some coaches are ‘session leaders’ who plan and run the four weekly sessions. Other coaches work directly with the athletes, where they are paired on a one-to-one basis with the athletes at our AllSorts and Zig-Zag sessions, and where they help support the athletes at KEEN Teens and GrEAT.
We maintain a large pool of volunteers through emphasising non-regular commitment. For this reason the helper will more often than not change from week to week. We encourage athletes to be paired with a different coach each week to help them socialize with a wide range of people.
Over 300 students from both Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities are involved every year. KEEN appeals to a wide range of undergraduates and graduates who share an enthusiasm for working with children through recreational activities. All students are offered regular information and training sessions so that they can learn more about the young people with whom we work and issues surrounding different disabilities.