What is the programme about?
The “Women into Higher Level Sports Coaching project was established to support the development of female coaches, and provide opportunities to enhance their core and generic skills.
Why is it running?
Across all sports, there are fewer women who coach than men. This programme aims to provide you with as many financially subsidised opportunities to support you in developing your coaching and other professionally-oriented skills and experience.
Who sponsors the programme?
The WiHLSC project receives funding from the European Social Fund (ESF). This European money is distributed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC will track your progress towards your Level 2 or Level 3 coaching qualification, on the UKCC framework.
What will I need to achieve if I become a beneficiary of the programme?
This programme is geared towards the achievement of your Level 2 or Level 3 coaching qualification. This is a minimum achievement that you will need to commit to from the start of the programme.
Not all NGBs will offer their Level 2 or Level 3 courses at the same time. So, there are many other opportunities for you to participate in, along the way. We hope you will take full advantage of all there is on offer, so that you can maximise your experience during the next 12 months.
How will I be supported?
There are multiple ways in which we can support you:
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Your mentor is the key person who will support your development, the achievement of your higher level coaching qualification, and signpost you to new coaching or employment opportunities.
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Your local County Sports Partnership (CSP) can support you in developing your core skills and any additional, sport-specific skills you might need to effectively coach at a higher level.
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SportsCoachUK will offer you opportunities to participate in generic coach development courses.
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The project Administrator, Debbie Beresford, and the Project Manager, can provide you with further information about other programmes you could benefit from.
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Your National Governing Body (NGB) will support your achievement of your Level 2 or Level 3 coaching accreditation
Will I have to pay anything?
The programme is fully subsidised by the ESF. You will not have to contribute to the core programme.
WiHLSC will pay for your course fees, so that you can achieve:
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Your Level 2 or Level 3 coaching accreditation
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Up to three (3) SportsCoachUK courses
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At least one further Continuing Professional Development programme
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Further skills development, as outlined on your Personal Development Plan (PDP)
What else is offered?
The WiHLSC project is part of a workforce development programme aimed at developing further capacity within the sporting industry, so that you can take up new work or volunteering opportunities. For some of you, this may be an enhanced range of coaching opportunities, once you attain your next level coaching accreditation. For others, you may want to set up your own business. We will provide support and opportunities for you to develop your ideas and work towards the achievement of your goals by additionally providing the following opportunities:
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A series of enterprise workshops, offered by the University of Salford or UCLAN, depending on where you live
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A further series of women and leadership courses that link in with employment-related skills development
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A “Women in Sports Enterprise”- W.I.S.E Mentors and Leaders Conference
We will provide you with more information as the dates draw closer.
What is the time commitment?
Although your programme will be tailored to your own specific individual development needs, the minimum time commitment for this programme includes:
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Time for you to complete your full Level 2 or Level 3 coaching qualification
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A minimum of 3-4 sessions spent with your mentor. These sessions are negotiated between you and your mentor. However, we envisage that you will spend up to 3 hours with your mentor, at each meeting.
When does the programme finish?
The whole programme will run for 12 months, from March 2007 till the end of March 2008. The progress of all 150 beneficiaries will then be evaluated.
We also hope to provide this programme for the sustainable future. This will depend on further funding we can access. We will advise you of all of our progress.
