5 Steps to ... Running summer activities for children

Alexandra Coxon, Regeneration & Renewal, 6 June 2008

People looking to run play schemes and other summer activities for children will have more success securing funding if they establish themselves as an official youth group, says Colin Makinson, vice-chair of Callon Kids Community Club (CKCC) in Preston. "Form a committee and write a constitution, open a bank account, set out a child protection policy and ensure you undertake criminal records bureau checks on anyone working or volunteering for you," he advises.

2. Deliver a local service. Not all parents can drive their children to play scheme locations such as city parks and sports grounds. "Look for local venues," says Glen Duckett, community regeneration manager at environmental charity Groundwork Leeds, which runs summer initiatives for children.

3. Establish which activities will work best. Talk to potential participants about the pursuits they're interested in, advises Duckett. "Try to build in some community work that will benefit the area, too. We run a junior wardens' scheme, for example, which encourages kids to take part in community clean-ups and the planting of community gardens."

4. Promote the scheme. Ian Smith, co-founder of Kicks Soccer School, a not-for-profit summer football school in St Helens on Merseyside, got children interested by leading assemblies on his project in local schools. "We also went to the local paper with our story, and approached all the paper's advertisers to ask for sponsorship," he says.

5. Be creative in approaching volunteers. Approach families and residents for help, says Makinson. "We also tap into local schools and colleges to find students doing subjects like sports development. Pitch it in a way that they can get practical work experience while doing good."

- More information The LankellyChase Foundation makes 150 grants a year to organisations running summer play schemes for five- to 13-year-olds (www.lankellychase.org.uk). Visit the London Schools Arts Service at www.lonsas.org.uk.