Story added: 22nd June 2022

“James is a great lad to have involved in our programmes and he has shown a willingness to try new things"

Thirty-one-year-old James Kidd has been attending sessions with the Community Sports Foundation for over five years now.

James has Global Developmental Delay and other associated learning disabilities, meaning he has previously struggled to engage in sport and socialise with people.

Knowing this, James’s parents, Richard and Lesley reached out to the Foundation looking for an appropriate programme to help engage and support him.

James was advised to join the Adult PAN-Disability Football by our Disability Manager, Darren Hunter, with the programme offering a fun, competitive level of football to be involved in with people of similar abilities.

James is now a staple member of the PAN programme and has developed his footballing abilities greatly since starting.

He’s also continuing his development with the Foundation as he has recently joined up to Realising Potential, a programme tailored to improving physical and social skills through various sports, activities, and workshops targeting teamwork, communication and life skills.

His father, Richard, believes Realising Potential has proven to be the best thing James has ever been involved in.

It has allowed him to mix with different people of all ages and abilities, and it has most importantly made him more confident and outgoing.

As part of the Realising Potential syllabus, participants can choose to take up a volunteering role, which James has been undertaking for the past five weeks. He is now a volunteer for the Realising Potential junior’s multi-sport sessions.

James told us, “It’s great to be helping others whilst learning at the same time”.

Ellie Dickinson, our Realising Potential Officer echoed the thoughts of James’s parents, stating:

“I’ve seen a massive increase in his confidence and leadership skills. He’s become a vocal leader during volunteering sessions and has really found a passion for coaching the junior sessions as he’s now able to provide them with sessions he missed out on as a kid.”

Volunteering with Realising Potential has opened more doors for James. Darren noticed the impact and skills that James has showcased and subsequently brought him into the U16s pan-disability programme, working as a volunteer who helps deliver the sessions at Carrow Park on Thursday evenings.

Darren told us, “James is a great lad to have involved in our programmes and he has shown a willingness to try new things. This has enabled him to access coaching opportunities and assist our younger participants at sessions.”