13/1/12

SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Sport and Active Leisure, has welcomed the new five year Youth and Community Sport Strategy announced by Sport England and the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

The organisation hopes to sit at the heart of the delivery, helping to ensure a skilled, competent and motivated workforce is available to implement grassroots programmes.

Steve Mitchell, Head of National Partnerships at SkillsActive, explains:

“We are fully behind the new focus on sports participation for 14-25 year olds, and driving a step change in the sporting behaviour of a generation, never seen before in the UK. We also recognise the huge part SkillsActive can play in upskilling the existing workforce and training the next generation of sporting administrators, coaches and activators.

“We plan to build on our existing relationships with NGBs and the CSP network, to continue to develop a talented pool of young, dynamic and work ready individuals. Moving forward, sports clubs will need to reach further into local communities to flush out new talent. SkillsActive has already demonstrated success in this area through its involvement in programmes such as Personal Best and the World Skills London 2011 Volunteer Development Programme.

“SkillsActive would welcome the opportunity to work across Government departments to target the huge unemployment challenge the country is facing, by getting people off benefits and into work. Sport and physical activity is the perfect catalyst for radical changes in behaviour for life and building the aspirations of our young people.

“We know from our experience that working in partnership we can meet the challenges laid down by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Work and Pensions, by offering a fit for purpose qualification framework, apprenticeship programmes and job creation scheme the industry will require to sustain increases in sports participation.”

Reflecting on two of the partners named in the strategy, Steve Mitchell adds: “We are really pleased to see two of our closest partners, StreetGames and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust (DKHLT) recognised as key partners to deliver the strategy over the next five years.”

SkillsActive works with employers, training providers and awarding bodies to develop qualifications that enable people to be competent in a specific area of work or type of role.

These include vocational qualifications, such as Scottish or National Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQs) and vocationally related qualifications (VRQs).

Scottish/National Vocational Qualifications

Scottish/national vocational qualifications (S/NVQs) are qualifications based on national occupational standards (NOS) - statements that describe the skills and knowledge a person needs to do a job effectively.

Scottish/ National vocational qualifications are available at levels 1,2 and 3.

Level 1:

• Active leisure and learning - an introduction to the sector and a pathway into the specific S/NVQs at level 2

Level 2:

• Activity leadership
• Coaching, teaching, instructing (assessed in the context of a specific approved sport or activity)
• Instructing exercise and fitness
• Mechanical ride operations
• Operational services
• Playwork
• Spectator control
• Sport and play installations

Level 3:

• Coaching, teaching, instructing
• Development, training and recreation
• Operations and development
• Outdoor education
• Playwork
• Spectator control

For a list of training providers offering vocational qualifications see

Vocationally related qualifications

Vocationally related qualifications (VRQs) are practical learning programmes that relate directly to a specific role or sector. They cover almost every sector, at every level, and are not purely based on national occupational standards.

Awarding bodies offer vocationally related qualifications in a broad range of subject areas including:

• National governing body coaching, instructing and officiating qualifications
• Fitness-related qualifications
• Lifeguarding qualifications
• Playwork related qualifications
• Outdoor-related qualifications

Common assessment requirements

SkillsActive is concerned with the continued availability of high quality qualifications that are fit for purpose, meet the needs of employers in the sector, command public confidence, and are understood by those taking them and those who use them for recruitment, or for other purposes. SkillsActive has long advocated that consistent standards are maintained across the awarding organisations who deliver qualifications on behalf of the Sport, Active Leisure, Learning and Wellbeing industry. To ensure that the assessment guidance and evidence requirements for each new qualification is uniform SkillsActive have created a Quality Assurance document for the delivery of S/NVQ qualifications and other more specific Assessment Strategies which the awarding organisations should comply with when delivering qualifications.

Quality Assurance Strategy for qualifications that confirm occupational competence

This document sets out the recommendations of SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council and Standards Setting Body for Active Leisure, Learning and Wellbeing for the assessment and quality control mechanisms required for S/NVQ qualifications which confirm occupational competence in the workplace.

• Quality Assurance Strategy

Qualification specific assessment strategies and evidence requirements 

These qualification specific assessment strategies have been developed by SkillsActive and appropriate industry experts to provide assessment guidance and evidence requirements for the awarding organisations to implement within their processes for the verification and awarding of each qualification. These documents are to be used with close reference to the more generic quality assurance strategy detailed above.

Health and fitness

• Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing
• Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Instructing Exercise and Fitness
• Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Personal Training
• Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral
• Level 3 Award in Conversion of Advanced Fitness Instructor to Personal Trainer Status

Leisure Management

• Level 3 Certificate in Leisure Management
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Leisure Management
• Level 2 Certificate in Leisure Operations
• Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being Operational Services

Spectator Safety

• Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Spectator Safety
• Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Spectator Safety
• Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Spectator Safety Management

Playwork

• Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork (from Early Years)
• Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Playwork
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Playwork
• Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Playwork

Mechanical Rides

• Level 2 NVQ Award in Mechanical Ride Operation

Sport and Play Surfaces

• Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Sport and Play Surfaces
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Sport and Play Surfaces

Sport and Recreation

• Level 1 NVQ Award in Sport and Active Leisure
• Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Activity Leadership
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Sports Development
• Level 3 Certificate in Achieving Excellence in Sports Performance
• Level 3 Certificate in Understanding Sports Performance
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Achieving Excellence in Sports Performance

Outdoors

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Outdoor Programmes (Outdoor Recreation/Education/Development Training)

Additional agreed principles

Principles for Development and Assessment of Special Populations Qualifications

Coaching qualifications based on common units

SkillsActive has worked with awarding organisations and NGBs to develop eight coaching qualifications based on common units to meet the needs of employers, staff and volunteers.

Coaching Qualifications based on national occupation standards>

The Register of Regulated Qualifications

The Register of Regulated Qualifications contains details of Recognised Awarding Organisations and Regulated Qualifications in England (Ofqual), Wales (DCELLS) and Northern Ireland (Ofqual for vocational qualifications and CCEA for all other qualifications).

Visit the Register to view Recognised Awarding Organisations, Regulated Qualifications, Units and Diploma structures.

The Register of Regulated Qualifications >

Read more about vocational qualifications reform >

Read more about the Sector Qualifications Strategy >

Our team of account managers work directly with NGBs to embed more highly skilled and qualified people into their sporting infrastructure. This ensures they have the right people with the right skills developing their sport at club, county and regional level.

We operate across the UK and engage with the sport sector within each of the four home nations. 

Our national committees and regional structure ensure that our UK-wide remit applies to all of the home nations. In addition to this, some key areas of country specific work are detailed below.

England

As part of our national partnership agreement with Sport England, we support national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) with their workforce development commitments laid out in their 09/13 plans.

Our team of relationship managers work directly with NGBs to embed more highly skilled and qualified people into their sporting infrastructure, ensuring they have the right people with the right skills developing their sport at a club, county and regional level.

Find out more about our partnership agreement with Sport England > 

Northern Ireland

Our Northern Ireland manager, Siobhan Weir, works with partners throughout Northern Ireland to address the skills needs of the sport workforce.

For more information click here>

Scotland

Our Scotland manager, Pam Scott, works with partners throughout Scotland to address the skills needs of the sport workforce.

Discover more about our work in Scotland here>

Wales

Our Wales team, lead by Richard Tobutt, works with partners throughout Wales to address the skills needs of the sport workforce.

Find out more on Wales here>

Key areas of qualifications for the outdoors sector are explained in more detail below.

National Governing Body (NGBs) qualifications

These qualifications are used to demonstrate competence to lead, instruct or coach a participant in an adventurous activity. Some of the qualifications commonly demanded by employers include mountain leader (summer), dinghy instructor and level 1 or 2 certificate in coaching paddlesport.

We recognise the importance of these qualifications and work closely with both NGBs and employers to ensure that qualifications meet sector needs. Regrettably, public funding of these qualifications is very limited and we are constantly working to tackle this situation.

AWARD/CERTIFICATE IN INTRODUCTORY WORK IN THE OUTDOORS (OIA/OIC)

Working closely with the British Activity Provider Association and the Institute for Outdoor Learning, we have developed an exciting new nationally accredited award - the level 2 Award in Introductory Work in the Outdoors. A slightly longer Certificate version is also now available. A summary document is available for the Award.

Ensuring that new staff reach their full potential as soon as possible is important to all organisations. To address this, a sector-wide induction programme for new staff has been developed for use as a set of good practice standards for all individual staff at an outdoor centre or organisation. Typically, the Award is completed in approx 4-6 months as a work-based qualification. However, employers pointed out that many seasonal staff were contracted for 8, 9 or even 10 months. To cater for this, a Certificate has also been developed to provide the opportunity for progression and further work-based learning and development.

Other training & qualifications of note

A wide-range of training and other qualifications are valued by employers or have a notable influence on the sector. It would be the norm to see these supplemented by one or more NGB qualifications:

Apprenticeships

Recent government activity has seen a new focus on Apprenticeships. Learning ‘on the job’ suits many newcomers to the sector, although Apprenticeships are not without their problems. Much of the funding has been targeted at 16 to 19 year old learners, which has led to the sector missing out on its share because of its 18+ age stance.

Apprenticeships in the outdoors are available at two levels, and allow the learner to gain an outdoor-related competence qualification, underpinning knowledge qualification and a number of technical certificates (including a range of valued outdoor qualifications that can be achieved as a part of an outdoors apprenticeship).

Practitioner of the Institute for Outdoor Learning

Progressive accreditations (registered/ accredited/ leading) aimed at practitioners working in the outdoors, particularly in the education and development training fields. More information on these qualifications is available from the Institute for Outdoor Learning.

Further education

NVQ/SVQs are currently available in activity leadership and outdoor programmes and provide a stepped vocational route to competency. Other college based, outdoor focused qualifications exist. They are typically one or two years in duration. A good mixture of academic and practical studies (with 'proper' work placement if possible) is key.

Higher education

An online search reveals a large number of outdoor-related degree courses. Those with a significant workplace-based element are held in higher regard by employers.

Foundation degrees are degree level qualifications designed with employers and combine academic study with workplace learning to equip people with the relevant knowledge, understanding and skills to improve performance and productivity in the workplace;

SkillsActive has an approved training provider network with a varied and quality assured catalogue of qualifications and training on offer. Areas of interest for the outdoors include:

First aid

First aid awards are vital to validate many NGB qualifications.

Mini-bus driving

Many outdoor centres rely on mini-buses for transporting participants and equipment to off-site venues such as rivers or crags. Current DVLA rules require many employees to undertake additional training and assessment to qualify as mini-bus drivers, with the associated cost implications for employers.