An archery club in Yorkshire has introduced a sensory corner to support neurodiverse archers.
The idea came about during one of Wyke Archers beginners' courses when a junior with ADHD needed a little help to focus.
The club's coach and treasurer, Jess Herdsman works in a SEN school so she spoke with the child's mum, asking what sort of things may help the child to participate. She ended up making some visual aids to help support them. The junior successfully completed their course and has now joined the club as a full member.
After having positive feedback from the child's parents, who said they didn't think their child would manage one session of the course, let alone the full course, it got Jess thinking about other ways the club could help people who are neurodiverse and make it easier for them to continue their archery journey.
Jess said: "I realised that sometimes the concentration and focus needed to do archery can become, at times, a little overwhelming so I decided to have some sensory objects available for a time out/ sensory regulation. After chatting to some of the junior members of the club about what they like to do to relax we got some colouring and fidget toys.
"Our selection includes colour by numbers where the challenge is to score the right number with the arrows before they are coloured, giving them a focus that doesn't just rely on how their score is going."
Other items in the kit include fidget toys such as magnetic building blocks, an expandable sphere ball, and different types of puzzles. There are also copies of archery magazines.
Jess added that they included sand timers so that juniors don't spend too much time in the sensory corner, with time limits to keep activities structured.
As the club was not sure how much the sensory corner would be used, they spent just £20 on the items using low price online shopping sites.
When it was introduced to the club members it was explained that although the primary aim was for juniors to use it when they need a break, that the adults are more than welcome to use it too as senior archers can also become overwhelmed and frustrated. The club also invited feedback from members on what worked, what didn't and any alternatives to try instead.
Jess said: "So far, it's been very popular with the junior members, they like the fact we're trying to help them enjoy their archery and understand they may have different needs to others. Some of the adults have taken an interest in what there is which has helped open dialogue between adults and juniors that may not have happened otherwise."
Gayle Pink, Archery GB's Head of Participation, said: "We are delighted at the innovation shown by Wyke Archers in Yorkshire who have adapted their coaching offer to provide a more inclusive environment for new archers.
"To help support other clubs and coaches we have been working with Access Sport to develop a Neurodiversity Workshop for our staff and members, which will cover topics such as understanding autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent conditions, with practical tips on how to make archery sessions more accessible and enjoyable for all participants. It will also introduce useful frameworks like the Inclusion Spectrum and the STEP model, which help in adapting sessions to meet the diverse needs of participants."
Our next online Neurodiversity Workshop will take place on 3 February. Book via the button below:
We have also organised two closed workshops, specifically for CCO's, RCO's and Coach Developers.
We would like to thank Mandie Elson, Paul Weight and Peter Sissons who worked with AGB staff and Access Sport to develop the workshop.
You can also find guidance on supporting archers with different needs by clicking the button below:
