Active Schools 20th anniversary year – meet the team!

Active Schools 20th anniversary year – meet the team! 

Michael Swanney – Active Schools Coordinator 

With Active Schools (AS) celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2024, we are delighted to introduce and thank the team who continue to deliver the service throughout our islands. 

First up is Michael Swanney, who has been with Active Schools in Orkney since the beginning and is the only full-time AS coordinator locally.  

Variety, he says, has been key to his longevity. 

“Given our team hasn’t really grown in terms of numbers, it means we all have the opportunity to experience different requests. As Active Schools has evolved over the past 20 years, so has the local plan with the focus very much on a service that best meets the needs of Orkney’s children and young people.” 

He describes some of his career high points, such as links to the summer Olympics in London 2012 and being part of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games Roadshow - Queen’s baton relay. 

“I also think that being part of the “covid recovery team”, providing childcare for key workers during covid was a completely different request/job remit. We were also in schools supporting PE staff to deliver lessons during the pandemic. 

“Personally, I got the opportunity to travel to Denmark in 2008 – a great experience being around football people and talking football 24/7. I was a national mentor for the Young Ambassadors Programme for three years which was fantastic as it involved meeting young people from different areas and listening to what they were doing. 

“There are so many highlights and it’s difficult to sum up my journey of 20 years with AS, however having a positive can-do attitude towards life helps with this job.  The overall aim of Active Schools is ‘more children, more active, more often’. This hasn’t really changed and is still what we are all about.” 

Catherine Johnson – Active Schools Coordinator 

Catherine’s journey with AS began with the original team as an Active Steps Worker. This job entailed organising activities for pupils who were struggling to stay in class at school and supporting them during each activity. When the post ended, Catherine transferred into the Active Schools Team as an Active Schools Coordinator and has been with them ever since. 

She has been involved in the many different initiatives and programmes over the years, from Active Islands to Transition Sport, Club Golf, Tesco Bank, Young Ambassador Programme and the Scottish Rugby Union and Food Standards Agency Scotland Healthy Eating. 

Highlights include the 2014 Commonwealth Games Roadshow and the resurrection of the Orkney Sports Awards to its present format which Catherine says has been one of the memorable projects that she has been involved in. 

“I feel it is important to highlight the amazing array of sporting success and volunteers that we have in Orkney. For a small community Orkney punches well above its weight. 

“Every year there are high points in the job, the Orkney Sports Awards and North Isles Sports are two that I look forward to each year.  Meeting David Smith, the Olympic Para Rower who attended the coaching conference that was held in Orkney was definitely up near the top of the list. Listening to his story had a huge impact on me and to chat to him after was a real privilege.  However, the best thing about the job is when you are in schools delivering or planning activities, being able to help a new afterschool club start and seeing the pupils enjoying taking part in physical activity is the most fulfilling. These little successes make everything worthwhile. 

“I believe and hope that Active Schools is an asset to schools and sport in Orkney. Our team has a variety of skills that can add to and support the sporting community encouraging children to be active." 

Kirsty Spence – Active Schools Coordinator 

Now it’s the turn of Active Schools coordinator Kirsty Spence to give us an insight into her Active Schools journey over the past ten years. 

“Active Schools gives pupils the opportunities to take part in physical activities at school, links to clubs in the community and access to free holiday sessions. In essence we create lots of free opportunities for pupils to be active trying to reduce barriers and create equal opportunities for all. 

“My proudest moment was when Shapinsay became the first primary school in Orkney to be awarded as a ‘Gold’ school for sportscotland School Sports Awards. The pupils, staff and community all worked together to improve sporting opportunities on island for everyone. The bonus was being a finalist with three other schools at the Scottish Sports Awards in Glasgow in December 2018. 

“I love how no day is ever the same. Or term in fact! The variety of my weeks spent between schools and the office keeps it fresh and exciting. 

“I hope that it keeps on evolving and I wonder what the next 20 years will look like?” 

Carolynn Leslie – Active Schools Coordinator 

Carolynn began her role as an Active Schools Coordinator nine years ago working for Moray Council, before moving home to Orkney, where she has enjoyed working with schools for the past six years. She’s currently on maternity leave but looking forward to returning to work in 2025. 
 
The role has evolved from targeting physical health and engaging children in sport, to looking at a bigger picture, including mental health, inclusion and attainment. 
 
She said: “For me, it's the little things that mean the most. Pupils who don't take part in sport or physical activity having a go. A pupil whose excluded in other circumstances taking part. A child who 'doesn't like sport' finding an activity that they enjoy. Most of all, pupils having fun while, sometimes unknowingly, benefitting their physical and mental health. I'm lucky enough to see these things everyday in my job, that's what keeps me engaged.” 

Carolynn describes the role as being diverse with the main focus to promote extracurricular activities in school or the local community with 2025 promising to be an extra special year for sport in Orkney. 
 
“We are, of course, working towards an Orkney 2025 Programme to support the Orkney Island Games in 2025.  
 
“Active Schools offer a safe and non-judgemental environment to take part and try sport and physical activity. We work to eradicate barriers to participation, to engage pupils, creating sustainability and longevity in physical and mental health, from primary school into adulthood, to raise attainment and gain transferable skills. 
 
“Active Schools isn't about being the best, winning medals or being the most competitive. It's about promoting sport in a different way, to encourage and develop pupils. The Active Schools network has been responsible for enhancing qualifications, jobs and lives.” 

John Cairns – Active Schools Coordinator 

John Cairns initially worked as a partner with Active Schools before taking up a role of coordinator. 

“A day can be varied from planning leadership course to mentoring and supporting young people and delivering sessions.  Very rarely is any one day the same as the other. 

“One of the high points was in 2019 when I was working as Rugby Development Officer with Orkney Rugby Football Club and in partnership with Active Schools and OIC Community Sports Hub Officer we were able to set up an event for Shapinsay, Rousay, North Walls, Papa Westray and Eday linked to the visit of representatives of the Nagasaki Rugby Union and the Japanese Consulate General. The kids got to try rugby, karate and a Japanese language lesson. It was a great day to introduce the children to a new culture and let them try some new activities.  

“It's been a great programme as it has created more opportunities for young people and volunteers giving them opportunities to develop. It has also helped introduce young people to new sports they may not have got the opportunity to try otherwise.”