In 2009 we established RollaDome All Skate, a registered Charity, in North West London. It is run largely by volunteers and provides a broad range of recreational skating activities for young people and their families in local communities. Our main focus is on young people whose ages range from 4 to 18 but adults are also included through their participation in family skating events.

​

We introduce roller skating in a fun and relaxed environment. We offer roller skating lessons to learners at all levels, including adults, followed by coached training programmes in a number of roller sports including Skate Fit, Roller Derby, Inline Freestyle Skating, Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Inline and Quad Hockey.

​

Roller sports are particularly suited to young people from disadvantaged areas, who, for a variety of reasons, have little interest in the traditional competitive team games favoured by most schools and youth clubs. We run roller skating clubs in local schools and regular roller skating events for families, including roller discos. We also organise community-based recreational skating projects, workshops and summer camps for young people, using a variety of venues including sports centres, schools and parks.

​

We maintain a low instructor-to-student ratio, so as to ensure that all participants receive a high level of attention and support. Each of our eleven coaches has (as a minimum) a Level 1 Coaching qualification, a current enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, a Safeguarding and Protecting Children certificate and extensive experience in teaching young children.

​

We provide all the equipment required and teach children the basics of each Roller Sport through structured, non-competitive, team-based activities in a safe, inclusive environment. Each individual coaching session in any Roller Sport lasts for one or two hours, depending on group ability. Our training programmes run for twelve weeks and we grade participants according to the system adopted by the National Governing Body of each Roller sport.

​

Our Mission is to change the lives and expectations of young people and their families through participation in roller sports, We encourage them to be active, to learn new skills, to appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, to participate in recreational and competitive sport and develop a positive sense of well-being.

​

Roller sports are an enjoyable form of intensive exercise. They develop dexterity, balance, posture, confidence and self-discipline. They combat obesity, improve endurance, strength, flexibility and coordination. They also help young people to appreciate their own worth, increase their circle of friends and learn the social skills which will encourage them to participate more fully in the life of their school and their local community.

​

Working with local communities since 2009 has made us aware of some positives and negatives. On the positive side, we have come across talented local people whose full potential had yet to be realised. On the negative side we have discovered that a fair number of local children need a lot of support because, for a variety of reasons, they have fallen far behind in their school work.

​

We at RollaDome recognised that we could act as a catalyst for change in local communities by extending our vision. We could use our expertise and experience as organisers, managers and coaches to help talented local people reach their potential through a variety of training programmes leading to recognised qualifications and employment.

​

Simultaneously we realised that a similar strategy might also help children who had fallen far behind in their school work. We were convinced that they could catch up and do well at school if they received tuition on a one-to-one basis outside the school environment. Such tuition, we knew, would do more. It would focus on the needs of the individual, motivate learners at all age levels, boost their performance, increase their confidence and make learning an enjoyable experience.

​

We soon realised that the resources required to bring such a tutoring service into operation already existed. They were the intelligent and motivated local men and women who were more than capable of acting as local tutors provided that they could be trained and organised to fulfil that role. We encouraged them to come forward and, following initial training as tutors, they became part of a new tutoring service for children, young people and adults which is provided by RollaDome.

​

Tuition, which can take place in the home or at approved locations, is tailored to local needs and includes Catch Up courses in literacy and numeracy, revision courses relating to GCSE and A Level subjects, business courses and courses in personal development. In line with our emphasis on personal development, we also run Duke of Edinburgh Award and Young Leaders training programmes for young people in our area.