Following a historic online 2020 FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy (FVLA), FISU has appointed its next generation of FISU Student Ambassadors, who have been tasked for the first time with creating individual action plans to support the development of university sport in their home country.
In a shift away from previous editions of the Academy, these individual action plans are meant to strengthen the Ambassador Programme, as they encourage the newly-minted Ambassadors to work in collaboration with their National University Sports Federation (NUSF) or Continental University Sports Federation (CUSF). The idea is to plan and deliver relevant and country-specific activity. At the same time, the action plans will allow FISU to keep track of each Ambassador’s activity and identify additional ways to support them in the future.
During 2020 FVLA, delegates received a variety of training from experts in international sport, including an Ambassador Education Programme delivered by former participants Adam Pratchett and Joshua Miethke, which inspired the delegates to develop their own action plans. In addition, delegates had the opportunity to work in groups led by former Ambassadors, to discuss each session in detail and ask questions about the Ambassador programme.
“I believe that the programme of this year’s FVLA takes us to a new level of education,” said FVLA and FISU Student Ambassadors Programme Coordinator Albina Rakhmatullina. “Designed together with the FISU Education and Development team as well as two of our alumni Ambassadors Adam Pratchett and Joshua Miethke, the FVLA programme aims to not only educate our Ambassadors about FISU and leadership skills, but also give them the tools to work with their federations to support the development of university sport.
“The Action Plan is a great tool which will allow Ambassadors to create their very own objectives that are relevant in their countries,” she continued. “Moreover 16 of our alumni Ambassadors have been appointed as team leaders and will guide the newcomers through their Ambassador year. This is something that I am most proud of, we are growing into a great community.”
Speaking to FISU, Adam Pratchett said “We’re hoping the move towards individual action plans will take the Ambassador Programme to the next level. Over the past two years Joshua and I have supported FISU with the development of both the FVLA and Ambassador Programme and we’re grateful for their trust in allowing us to develop this element of both programmes.”
Since the creation of the Ambassador Programme in 2018, FISU Student Ambassadors have made significant contribution to the development of university sport worldwide. As was highlighted at the 2020 FVLA, six former Ambassadors have been appointed as members of FISU’s committees, 43 were the organisers of the biggest university sports event in their country and 13 worked for their country at both the Summer and Winter World University Games.
Joshua Miethke added, “Working together with the Local Organizing Committee and FISU Staff over the past two years has been an amazing experience. We are now looking forward to seeing how the newly appointed Ambassadors will work and what objectives they create with their NUSFs or CUSFs. I am happy to accompany the LOC in the following months and support the work of the Ambassadors”.
After creating their action plans with their NUSFs or CUSFs, FISU Student Ambassadors will have the chance to discuss their action plans in individual meetings with FISU, who will then give the final green signal to their planned activity for the year.