Coaching bursaries go from strength to strength

Andrew Brown, SkillsActive – 25/01/2008

The coaching bursary for the South West, launched by SkillsActive with funding from the regional Learning and Skills Council and Sport England, has recently attracted a further cash injection to extend the scheme. So far over 530 coaches in the region have benefited from subsidised coaching courses as part of the UK coaching certificate. With the extension of this scheme, it is expected that a further 200 coaches will have successfully applied by April, covering a range of sports from angling to triathlon.

The London coaching bursary, launched last November with £250,000 from the regional Learning and Skills Council and Sport England, has already had around 200 applicants with another 200 expected by April. The injection of money for the development of coaching is a real boost for London as it will not only help subsidise coaching qualifications for London’s coaches, it will also promote coaching excellence in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

SkillsActive’s chief executive Stephen Studd said: “With arguably the greatest sporting competition in the world coming to London in less than five years time, this is a very exciting opportunity for aspiring coaches across the country. This applies not only to developing our sporting talent, but in nurturing a healthy nation.

“By offering this bursary, part and full-time coaches, along with volunteers, are able to hone their skills and develop to the next level that can be utilised in London leading up to the 2012 Games and helping to deliver the legacy. This is a great example of effective partnership working in the regions, and is a pre-cursor to what the National Skills Academy in Sport and Active Leisure will deliver. I am absolutely delighted that SkillsActive is driving this initiative.”

More information on the bursaries can be found here.