The Athlete Travel Award Scheme is designed to support performance or development athletes from Orkney with their travel and accommodation costs for an agreed training and competition schedule.
This scheme is funded by sportscotland and Orkney Islands Council and is administered locally by Orkney Islands Council. The scheme can support individuals that are taking part in recognised sports. We hope it will make a real difference to the quality of sports performance for people living in Orkney.
Applications will re-open in February 2025
The overarching aim of this scheme is to improve opportunities for Orkney athletes to participate, progress and achieve in sport by:
- Helping to prepare Scotland's best athletes from Orkney to perform on the national and international stage;
- Providing financial support for Orkney athletes to access high performance expertise in sport;
- Helping Orkney athletes to consistently achieve selection to national age grade, national GB programmes and ultimately winning on the world stage.
The outcomes that will be monitored by this scheme are:
- Athletes from Orkney gaining National representation (age group / open) in accordance with Scottish Governing Body pathways;
- Athletes from Orkney gaining representation at the Commonwealth Games;
- Athletes from Orkney gaining selection to GB World Class (Podium, Podium Potential) funded programmes in Olympic / Paralympic sports;
- Athletes from Orkney winning medals at the NatWest International Island Games;
- Athletes from Orkney who are currently on a Professional Sporting Pathway;
- Athletes from Orkney who are transitioning to Mainland Scotland to further their sporting pathways within higher performing environments.
We can support:
An individual who:
-
Has been a permanent resident of Orkney for over 12 months and will reside in Orkney for a minimum of 8 full months over the next funding period i.e.; 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025
-
EXEMPTION: Further Education students going into their 1st year of study will be considered for support as long as they have been a permanent resident of Orkney Islands Council for over 12 months.
and
- Is committed to their own development expressed through goals, aspirations, mind-set and dedication;
and is either
- An athlete who is currently competing at a national or international level with the potential for competing as a professional athlete; or
- Part of an Orkney squad in a team sport; or
- Part of a national training squad, working with experts in organisations such as sportscotland and UKsport; or
- Recommended by the relevant sport’s Governing Body.
We cannot support:
- Whole squads or teams;
- Sports that are not recognised by sportscotland with the exemption of recognised Island Games sports (See link for recognised sports https://sportscotland.org.uk/sport-a-z/);
- Funding for training or competitions that have already happened;
- Late applications that have missed the deadline.
Please note all eligible applicants must operate a bank or building society account in their legal name. Applicants under the age of 18 should use a bank or building society account in the legal name of their parent/guardian.
