Coaching task force comes into play
Tuesday 13 May 2003
In Edinburgh tomorrow (14 May), 26 of Scotland’s governing bodies of sport will gather with colleagues from the university and skills sectors to consider the recommendations of the Coaching Task Force and discuss in particular, how the introduction of a UK-wide national coaching certificate and licensing scheme will benefit sport in Scotland.
One of the key messages from the Government’s Plan for Sport published in March 2001 was that action on coaching was a priority. It identified a number of problems in coaching including: not enough paid opportunities; too much reliance on volunteers; no proper career structure and the lack of nationally recognised/transferable qualifications. As a result, the Coaching Task Force was formed and published its recommendations last July for developing coach education and enhancing coaching opportunities, including the introduction of a national coaching certificate. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) subsequently announced that it would invest £28 million over the following three years to implement them across the UK.
The work is now being driven forward by a Coaching Project Board, chaired by DCMS, and its membership drawn from sports coach UK, UK Sport, home country Sports Councils, national governing bodies, devolved administrations, local government and other equity partners.
Whilst the exact framework of the qualification is still being agreed, it is anticipated that some 20 sports will be invited to go through the process, not only developing a UK-wide qualification for their sport, but one that is equivalent to other sports in terms of the coaching competencies involved. It is also proposed that this qualification will then form the cornerstone of a coaching licensing scheme, ensuring that all coaches are suitably qualified, registered and comply with all child protection legislation. This will certainly be of significant benefit to prospective employers, mainly local authorities as well as the governing bodies themselves.
For the coach, holding this qualification will mean they are able to practise across the UK and in many cases that they will have improved their coaching skills in the process. It will also result in a clearer, more progressive pathway for those embarking on a career in coaching and an improved quality of experience for all participants.
Commenting on the event, Ian Robson, Chief Executive, sportscotland said: “We are still at an early point in the consultation, but this seminar is an opportunity for Scottish governing bodies of sport and other key stakeholders to gain a better understanding and influence the implementation of the recommendations of the Coaching Task Force. It is essential, that all governing bodies are committed to the ongoing development of coaching in Scotland. Some sports are already starting to show the benefits of an improved coaching infrastructure. But it is only by having a plentiful supply of well qualified coaches across all sports, and at all levels in a sport, that we will be able to make that much needed step-change in the performance of our athletes at regional, national and international level.”
The consultation will be ongoing over the coming months, with a target date of July 2004 for the development of a five level national coaching certificate linked to national standards, which will be implemented in full in 20 sports by the end of 2006.
sportscotland will continue to provide advice and support during the development and implementation phase.