London 2012 Olympics

[Mohammed Faizal Mulla]

I want to start a community project based on the London 2012 Olympics but I dont know what..could anyone give me some idea's

[Laura Hyde]

Hello Mohammed,

What type of community project are you looking to start?

Laura

[Mohammed Faizal Mulla]

Well I currently reside in Hackney where we are the host for the Olympics, so Im looking to start a community project in the area of Environment, Urban regeneration, Education. To be more specific Laura things a project that involves redocoration, or trying to tackle issues that really need to be dealt with.

[Jonny Zander]

Hi

Is there a particular reason why you want to set up your own project, rather than joining in on a project that is already happening?

i live in Hackney as well, and there are quite a few different things happening, both with a connection to the 2012 Olympics and completely separate from it but in the areas of environment etc that you listed.

Mohammed Faizal Mulla said:

Well I currently reside in Hackney where we are the host for the Olympics, so Im looking to start a community project in the area of Environment, Urban regeneration, Education. To be more specific Laura things a project that involves redocoration, or trying to tackle issues that really need to be dealt with.

[Mohammed Faizal Mulla]

Hy Jonny and thank you for your reply. The reason why i am wanting to start my own project is simply because i want to enhance my skills in various areas one of which is project management and the ability to meet deadlines because these are some area's that are my weaknesses. I enquired about the personal best programme in hackney however i was declined due to my elgibility status.

Are you currently working on a community project and are they any more vacancies for volunteers?



Jonny Zander said:

Hi

Is there a particular reason why you want to set up your own project, rather than joining in on a project that is already happening?

i live in Hackney as well, and there are quite a few different things happening, both with a connection to the 2012 Olympics and completely separate from it but in the areas of environment etc that you listed.

Mohammed Faizal Mulla said:

Well I currently reside in Hackney where we are the host for the Olympics, so Im looking to start a community project in the area of Environment, Urban regeneration, Education. To be more specific Laura things a project that involves redocoration, or trying to tackle issues that really need to be dealt with.

[david pinto]

had this one earlier in the year when i met a young man who was a thai kick boxer
and i asked him what his dream was:
to perform in the 2012 olympics

his friend told us that's what he lived for
he practiced regularly
and yet he could hardly verbalise his dream

i suggested that if a local community were aware of his dream
and enabled him to practice full time with financial and other kinds of support
the whole community would be rooting for him in the 2012 olympics

imagine the entire country with their local heros...
these athletes would be there because of their community
there's a buzz right there
the added edge to perform to the best of their (whole community's) ability

has to be seeded now
increase the level of base competition
and thus raising the standard of those who get to be the best in their respective field

what do you think?

[Moonshine]

It's amazing how one small idea can lead to so many wonderful opportunities. My advice would be to keep your eyes on the lookout for any volunteering opportunities with any sports focussed charities ie: Right To Play, Cancer Research UK/ Race For Life and help them out at one of their events.

Try to attend the Chain Reaction conference next month as I'm sure you'll meet lots of people who can set you on the right path and provide you with lots of inspiration. I attended the event last year with some ideas about setting up my own running club, or somehow working with running clubs to spread messages surrounding positive healthy living- again like you to boost my CV, to meet new people etc. The conference opened so many opportunities for me. I was able to intern with Right To Play for a few months and I put together a business proposal for Cancer Research UK with a professional team to encourage CRUK to expand an existing children's triathlon event.

Now I'm working with a digital agency in Soho lol...but like you Mohammed I would love to get involved with another sports focussed project again and make the most of the 2012 Olympics opportunity. Keep me posted on your project, but do set some goals, find your source of inspiration and find a way of partnering with some professionals who will help you stay on the right track. Good Luck!

Julia

[Simon Pailin]

I think this is a fantastic idea though with the fast approaching 2012, to take a relatively unknown sporting talent and elevate them to Olympic material could be an extremely tall order. Perhaps, because Olympics is all about the legacy it leaves behind, would it be worth looking at harnessing the natural enthusiasm that the Olympics will bring and developing some sort of incubation help for potential future Olympians from within the community? "Our Community's Got Sporting Talent" Funding and support coming from all corners of the community.

I recently launched a fundraising website and it is my greatest hope that, in the future, community based projects will look to use this mechanism because in it's own right it has the capacity to foster a spirit of giving in the community and, at the same time, benefit many of it's members.

The greatest of luck with whatever you end up focusing your attentions on


david pinto said:

had this one earlier in the year when i met a young man who was a thai kick boxer
and i asked him what his dream was:
to perform in the 2012 olympics

his friend told us that's what he lived for
he practiced regularly
and yet he could hardly verbalise his dream

i suggested that if a local community were aware of his dream
and enabled him to practice full time with financial and other kinds of support
the whole community would be rooting for him in the 2012 olympics

imagine the entire country with their local heros...
these athletes would be there because of their community
there's a buzz right there
the added edge to perform to the best of their (whole community's) ability

has to be seeded now
increase the level of base competition
and thus raising the standard of those who get to be the best in their respective field

what do you think?

[Nick W]

The legacy issue is an overriding one as all parties involved in 2012 are desperate for the sizeable capital spending to create long term benefits, both in regenerating communities and (hopefully) sporting achievement. With this in mind I've been formulating a business model to harness the available funding for sport to create facilities which can be used for positive social impact. An available site has been identified which is in the Hackney/Islington/Haringey vicinity. The basic premise:

- regeneration of dilapidated local authority owned sports facilities

- create elite facilities as part of Sport England's PPFI-esque sustainability mandate for which they've recently made funds available

- commercial viability, obvious solution is to attract the mass market (gym using public) to the facilities

- quality facilities can also be used to promote education and health within the community, particularly to young people in conjunction with local schools (significant funding opportunities would need to be available to make this attractive)

If you can achieve:
1. High spec facilities appropriate for elite athletes (beyond 2012)
2. Attractive product to sell to the mainstream health and fitness consumer
3. Sports orientated social programmes with requisite funding

Then you have a scalable self sustaining business model.

If anyone has any comments or would like to help then please get in touch.