Frequently Asked Questions/Troubleshooting

Q. What age do people need to be to do the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering?
A. Learners must be 13 or older on the day that your course starts.

Q. Is there an upper age limit?
A. No, the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering is suitable for people who are 13 or older. There is no upper age limit.

Q. Is there an ideal group size?
A. The ideal number of learners to have on your course will vary depending on the type of learner you work with and the type of course you run. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the larger the numbers, the longer it may take to see everyone demonstrate the skills required.

Q. How long does the course take to deliver?
A. This qualification has 28 guided learning hours (including five hours of volunteering). However, the time it takes will depend on a range of factors including the previous experience of your learners (and their general enthusiasm and attitude towards the course!), learner numbers, delivery methods and external links. Go to guided learning hours for the units of this qualification.

Q. Tell me more about the five hours of volunteering?
A. Every learner must complete five hours of volunteering. This volunteering must take place at the end of the course, after all taught aspects have been delivered and assessed. The activities that the learner volunteers at may be decided by the Tutor/Assessor or by the learner themselves. This may be decided through consultation between everyone involved. Generally, learners will choose to volunteer with activities that they are familiar and comfortable with. However, learners must not volunteer with any risk activity that requires a specific qualification or licence. Learners must only volunteer under the direct supervision of their Tutor/Assessor or another responsible adult. Responsibility for the supervision of learners may be handed to other appropriately qualified and responsible people, but only with their full understanding of the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the learners. For full details about the five hours of volunteering, please refer to Unit 2 within the Qualifications That Change Lives CD-ROM Tutor Resource.

Q. My course involves going away from the Approved Assessment Centre(s). Do Sports Leaders UK provide insurance cover?
A. No insurance cover is required for the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering.

Q. I have heard that this is equivalent to a GCSE, is this right?
A. No! This qualification sits at Level 1 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), so it has the same attainment level as D-G grades at GCSE (as they also sit at Level 1). However, this is where the comparison ends. GCSE's are academic qualifications whilst the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering is a vocationally related qualification and GCSE's take approximately 120 hours to deliver whilst the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering has 28 tutored hours. These factors mean that it is not appropriate to directly compare one qualification with the other.

Q. What can a qualified learner of the Level 1 Award in Sports Volunteering do?
A. Upon successfully completing the qualification, a Level 1 Sports Volunteer is qualified to assist with the running of small events, festivals or fundraisers under the direct supervision of the Tutor/Assessor or other suitably qualified adult.