Christine O’Shea shares her experience from transitioning from a student at the University to becoming the new Sports Development Assistant in the Sport, Health and Exercise department.
Hi, I’m Christine and I recently graduated from the university with a Social Policy and Politics Degree. During my course, I became interested in public health which led me to jump at the opportunity of becoming the new Sports Development Assistant!
From the outset, I knew I would enjoy the position which includes helping the progression of the B:Active programme, as in my second year of university I was a regular participant at B:Active sessions. B:Active introduced me to some of my favourite activities, therefore I wanted to help the programme continue to grow.For this reason, I became part of the Activator team, a group of student staff that help run the B:Active sessions and events. This taught me to appreciate how much work goes on behind the scenes to deliver programmes for students and widened my interest in different fields of work.
So, what are you actually doing this year?
This year I will be helping to deliver projects that aim to engage as many students and staff to get active, no matter their ability. Such projects include B:Active, a free and inclusive programme of activity sessions to support anyone, no matter what skill level you are, to join in and try something new.
Being active doesn’t just include attending a class, rather it is an opportunity of being part of a community! I am hoping that my help on the Moves+ app (an amazing programme that already has 9000 University of Bristol users and half of the campus repping Moves+ merch!) and Game Changers, a student volunteering programme, will continue to foster a sense of community within the university and the wider public.
Were you really sporty at University? Are all of your colleagues hardcore sports types?
No, not one bit! I think like many students, P.E. at school was a great time to have a chat with my friends and not engage one bit. This made me rule sport out altogether at the start of university as I had the preconception you had to be throwing, catching and somersaulting since birth to be accepted into sport. But drawing on my friend’s experiences, who were complete beginners in their chosen sports at the beginning of university to now confidently competing weekly, shows how ignoring preconceptions can help remove personal barriers. At university, I began to realise the importance of physical activity for my mental wellbeing and I began to enjoy fitness classes, a massive shout out to Dee’s spin and wiggle and Miri’s Pilates which pumped me with endorphins each session!
As for whether my colleagues are super sporty, I think there is a good mix which works well! Everyone understands the importance of our aim to engage everyone from all walks of life in physical activity and are really keen to achieve this. I think the perception that sports jobs are only for sporty people needs to be broken down, as whether you prefer a dog walk or slide tackling your mates, you’re being active and all of those preferences need to be heard.
What is the world of work like compared to being a student? What does an average day look like?
I am only 3 weeks in so my opinion may change after the chaos of Welcome Week, but so far I am really enjoying it! Although organisation and planning are still key, work life is quite different to life as a student, but I think for the better. Whilst at university, by my third year I found the structure of my course to be very repetitive. Work is different as you are focusing on one area that should hopefully excite you and you get the opportunity to hone in on all different issues involved in that area.
What advice would you give to other students or new graduates considering working roles or entering into a new job after graduating?
The advice I would give to current students is to ensure you gain work experience during university. This doesn’t have to be some fancy internship in a niche field but rather work that helps you develop your skills that are not always taught in academics. Take advantage of all the opportunities the university funds. Whilst you’re grabbing your third round of tea and biscuits from the Global Lounge, pop into the global opportunities corner where they offer funded trips to countries across the world so you can learn a language. To save the best to last, volunteer with the Game Changers programme to get funding towards coaching qualifications or training workshops!