Playwork Joint Investment Programme

SkillsActive has successfully bid to the government’s Joint Investment Programme (JIP), releasing £230,000 over two years to match fund employers’ (in England) investment in the Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork from early years.

In SkillsActive's Playwork People 4 survey over 55% of employers reported a lack of knowledge of the Playwork principles in their current staff while 44% of employees had no playwork specific qualification.  From experience, we know that many employers recruit staff with early years qualifications in order to meet Ofsted registration requirements, but find that they don’t follow the playwork approach to the work.  The JIP Working in the Community (Playwork) project aims to improve knowledge and understanding of the playwork principles and playwork theories for those who have qualified in early years.

The Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork (from early years) is a short qualification comprising two units: Understand Aspects of Playwork Practice and Understand the Theories Underpinning Playwork Practice.  Learners must already have achieved a level 3 qualification in early years to register; for example, this could be an NVQ in Early Years, Care and Education or in Children’s Care, Learning and Development.  Please note that the new Working with Children and Young People Diploma is not valid as an entry qualification.

Employers will be expected to provide £229 which is 50% of the cost of the qualification and the Skills Funding Agency will match this with an additional £229. 

This programme, developed on behalf of the sector in, has earned much of its success through the support of employers.  However, the opportunity to benefit from this programme still exists for all employers in the sector, including those who originally expressed an interest but did not commit any learner details.

If you are interested in registering staff for this qualification, please complete the survey Click Here.

SkillsActive will be working with the SFA on the final stage of lead provider selection based on the SFA assessment and shortlisting of training providers.  The project will run from October 2011 until the end of July 2013.  You will be contacted when the programme’s training providers have been identified.

As more information becomes available we will post it to this site.

If you have an enquiry regarding this programme, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SkillsActive delivers several programmes and projects to improve workforce skills in the active leisure, learning and and well-being sector.

Funded programmes

The Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund

The Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund, delivered by SkillsActive’s National Skills Academy, provides London volunteers with up to 75% off training to deliver a sporting legacy from the 2012 Games.

Nancy Ovens Bursary

The annual Nancy Ovens Bursary, sponsored by SkillsActive, provides paid or voluntary coaches and leaders in the sector with up to £2,000 in innovative training to improve skills.

Yorkshire & Humber Coaching Bursary

The Yorkshire and Humber Coaching Bursary, delivered by SkillsActive’s National Skills Academy, provides 60% off UKCC coaching qualifications for new and existing coaches. It is funded by Sport England Yorkshire.

Joint Investment Programme

SkillsActive’s Joint Investment Programme helps meet specific skills gaps in the fitness and playwork sectors using training jointly funded by the Government and employers.

Group Training Association

SkillsActive’s Group Training Association enables small to medium sized employers to develop existing employees and recruit and train new personnel, primarily through Apprenticeships.

Activegraduates.com

Activegraduates.com is a free job matching website to help employers find talented, work ready candidates from our pool of successful Future Jobs Fund participants.

Change Gear

Change Gear, delivered by SkillsActive’s National Skills Academy, provides support to those leaving the Armed Forces to ensure they are aware of the opportunities available to them in the sport, fitness, outdoors, playwork and caravans industries.

Training 4 Volunteers

SkillsActive is working with experts from nine Member States on the Training 4 Volunteers project, which aims to investigate volunteering in sport and broaden ideas about education and training. It is funded by the 2010 Preparatory Action on Sport of the European Commission.

Projects

London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics

SkillsActive is leading on several projects to help deliver the competent, qualified workforce the UK needs for a successful London 2012 Games and a sustainable increase in sport and leisure participation.

Consultation

SkillsActive periodically asks for feedback on sector issues to inform the work we do. You can give SkillsActive feedback by post, email or fax before the time specified on the closing date.

Learn more about SkillsActvie's current and past consultations >

Completed programme and projects

SkillsActive has delivered numerous other successful programmes and projects.

Learn more about our Completed Programmes and Projects >

h1>Personal Best in the West Midlands

In the West Midlands Personal Best is funded by the European Social Fund and coordinated by SkillsActive and the Skills Funding Agency as part of the 2012 Inspirations project.

The Programme is being offered by the following training providers:

• Wolverhampton College
  Sharron Redman -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  Tel: 01902 821954
• Sport Structures
  Amy Heppingstall -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  '; document.write(''); document.write(addy_text43019); document.write('<\/a>'); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Karl had a fantastic day in London and you can read Karl's incredible Personal Best story here.

Sport Structures and Seetec: a winning partnership

Please read the attached article telling the story of the successful work placements offered by national organisation Seetec for learners on the Sports Structures Personal Best programme.

Personal Best around the regions

Contact details and information about the Personal Best programme in the following regions can be found below:

• East
• East Midlands
• London
• North East
• North West
• South East
• South West
• Yorkshire and the Humber
• West Midlands

Or see this Google Map for your nearest provider:

View Or view the Personal Best providers in a larger map

Since Personal Best began in 2008 SkillsActive has developed a number of resources which are free to download and provide more information and guidance on becoming involved in the programme.

Check them out below:

• Personal Best story so far
• Personal Best briefing note for training providers (pdf) (pdf)
• Personal Best Regional Delivery Manual, Edition 2, Version 3 (pdf) (pdf)
• Personal Best London Tutor Pack (zip) (zip) (zip)
• Personal Best London Fact File (pdf) (pdf)
• Personal Best Scheme of Work (zip) (zip)
• App 1 Benefit guidelines (Version 2)
• App 2 Regional delivery
• App 3 The personal best programme
• App 4 Personal Best Assurance Template Part 1
• App 5 Personal Best Assurance Template Part 2
• App 6 Sample Tender Specification
• App 7 Sample Inspire Mark Application
• App 8 Glossary of terms

Events Keep up to date with Personal Best and London 2012 related events, as well as other sporting, and cultural events taking place across the country.

Tell us your story

Whether you are a learner, a training provider or a tutor please use the box below to tell us about your Personal Best experience. We want to hear as many stories as possible!

Personal Best learners database

As the Personal Best provider/advisor/tutor please complete this form on behalf of your Personal Best learners who applied to be a Games Maker at London 2012.

Personal best documentation

These web pages are for regional Personal Best lead organisations delivering the Personal Best programme and should not be shared beyond your individual organisations unless authorised by the Personal Best national delivery board.

Any material downloaded from this website remains the property of the Personal Best national delivery board and must not be altered in any way. 

Information that is available publicly to all can be accessed on the main Personal Best pages.

Any questions relating to the use of the site should be directed to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What are these web pages for? 

The main purpose of this web page is to:

• Provide an information exchange between the Personal Best regional lead organisations and the Personal Best national delivery board.
• Give regions an opportunity to share their regional information on PB delivery with each other.
• Submit questions to be put forward to the Personal Best national delivery board.

1. Personal Best national delivery board terms of reference

• Terms of Reference for Personal Best National Development Board - updated  January 2010

2. Minutes from Personal Best national steering group meetings

• 28 August 2008
• 30 October 2008
• 16 December 2008
• 24 February 2009
• 7 April 2009
• 16 June 2009
• 2 September 2009
• 18 November 2009

3. Notes from the Personal Best national delivery board

• 25 January 2010
• 18 May 2010
• 13 July 2010
• 16 Sept 2010
• 18 November 2010

Future PBNDB dates: 

• 20 January 2011

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

4. Personal Best monthly programme management reports

• August 2010
• September 2010

5. Personal Best regional implementation updates

• October 2008
• December  2008
• 21 January 2009
• 16 February 2009
• 30 March 2009
• 11 June 2009

6. Personal Best national steering group updates

• May 2009
• September 2009
• December 2009

7. Briefings

• London 2012 and it's relationship with the Personal Best Programme
• Personal Best Eligibility Criteria Briefing, November 2009

8. Training Provider Pack

Marketing collateral is available to be downloaded from this site. However, as stated in the Personal Best regional delivery manual, all marketing materials produced using these templates must be signed off by LOCOG.

The PB collateral is only for use by Personal Best Programmes that have been successful in getting their application for the Inspire Mark.

The PB collateral from London can be found below:

• PB Brand Guidelines (short) | PB Brand Guidelines (Long)
• Print Advertisement (portrait) | Print Avertisement (landscape)
• PB Banners | PB Posters | PB Leaflet
• PB Graduation Presentation | PB Presentation -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• PB Communications Pack
• Personal Best Aid Memoir for SkillsActive regional representatives

The PB Collateral from the South East was sent on dvd to all PB Regional leads in Febraury 2010.

To access the design files for regional adaptation please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive a copy of these files on DVD.

9. Personal Best Marketing Material for the Regions to use now

To access the design files for regional adaptation please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive a copy of these files via email.

10. Job Centre Plus documentation

• Personal Best Script
• Training provider journey
• JCP Terms of Reference

11. Personal Best story so far

12. Personal Best national event, 4 November 2009

• Agenda
• Event Summary
• LOCOG Presentation
• LDA Presentation on Branding Marketing and Communications
• LDA Presentation on Engagement and Registrations
• SkillsActive Presentation

If you have developed materials that would be useful to share with other regions on this web page, please email copy to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.