Enhancing the employability of sports graduates: an integration of community placements

Paul Rainer & Rob Griffiths

Olympics 2012

Benefits to Wales?

• Training camps

• Lottery disbursement

• Business contracts

• Additional tourists

• Matches at Millennium Stadium

• Feel good factor

• Health and wellbeing

Health of a nation – the unhealthiest places to live in UK (HealthACORN Report 2007)

1. Merthyr Tydfil

2. Easington, Co Durham

3. Rhondda Cynon Taf

4. Neath Port Talbot

5. Blaenau Gwent

6. Caerphilly

7. Bolsover, Derbyshire

8. Torfaen

9. Bridgend

10. Carmarthenshire

Daily Express (31/1/05)

Olympic Vision

• “to inspire a new generation to greater sporting activity and achievement, helping to foster a healthy and active nation.” ww.london2012.com

Climbing Higher

• All primary school children to take part in sport and physical activity for 60 minutes 5 times a week.

• 90% of secondary school children to take part in sport and physical activity for 60 minutes 5 times a week.active children become active young people and thenactive adults (Janz et al. 2000; Telama et al. 2005)

• Welsh Olympians will win at least 15 medals between 2004-2024

Regular participation in extra-curricular sports activities (SCW 2006 Active Young People in Wales)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Carms Swansea Caerphilly Cardiff Merthyr RCT All Wales

Primary

Secondary

Source: SCW Active Young People (2006)

Community Placements

• Pre-requisites of working within sports development sector (SkillsActive, 2005)

1. Industry experience (paid or voluntary)2. People skills3. Coaching qualifications

• Students not prepared for industry• Sandwich year placements limited• Voluntary opportunities not taken up• Embedded within modules• Placements linked to assessments

Case Studies

• “develop a critical understanding of the issues relating to the sports development and coaching industry” and to “develop core transferable skills.” Power (2006:161)

• Improved teamwork, communication and time management skills. Fleming & Ferkins (2006)

• Importance of student reflection and recognition of what has been learnt. Keech (2006)

• Sustainability aided by former graduates acting as placement supervisors.

Case Studies

• “Matching courses to National Occupational Standards is a nationally recognised way of ensuring that courses teach students the skills and knowledge they need in employment.

In addition, work based learning is an important tool in skills development and ensuring students have experience of the work place and are able to reflect on it through their study.”

Ben Gittus, SkillsActive (2005)

Developing High Quality Opportunities

1. Produce a clear framework for creating locally-available, high quality and fun sporting opportunities for young people.

2. Ensure that those who work with young people are suitably equipped to do so.

suitable facilities trained staff well structured programme

Policy Driven

• Welsh Assembly Government– Climbing Higher Strategy

(July, 2004)– Climbing Higher Strategy

– Next Steps (July, 2006)– Coaching Plan for Wales– Physical Education

School Sport Action Plan– 5 x 60 School Sport Plan

• “To increase the number of coaches, leaders and instructors both voluntary and professional, deployed in Wales.”

• “To improve the quality of coaching in Wales by increasing the opportunities for education, training and qualification.”

Key Modules

Year 1• Exercise Physiology (1)• Football Coaching I

(UKCC L2 Badge)• Sports Coaching 1• Introduction to Sports

Psychology• Nutrition• Sports Development (1)

Year 2Year 2

• Football Coaching II Football Coaching II (UKCC L3 Coaching (UKCC L3 Coaching Badge)Badge)

• Sports Coaching 2Sports Coaching 2• PerformancePerformance• Work Based Module Work Based Module

(Triple Module)(Triple Module)• Sports Development (2)Sports Development (2)

Girls & Young Women’s Football Development Officer

The North Region Girls Football League 

Salary: £22,375 - £24,467 (3 year fixed term contract).

Surrey County Development Manager Salary in the range of £26,000 - £30,000 dependant on experience and location

Salary: £20,000 pa +

Coaching Modules

YEAR 1• Sports Coach UK

Workshops:• Introduction to

Fundamental Movement Skills

• Long Term Athlete Development

• FMS Practical workshops

• WRU “Tag” Rugby award• UKCC L1 WRU Rugby• UKCC L1 FAW

YEAR 2• SCUK Workshops

– Effective Coaching– Equity in Your Coaching– Coaching Children & Young

People– Coaching Disabled

Performers– Good Practice & Child

Protection

• Athletics L1• Basketball L1• Badminton L1

Dragon Sport

• Multi sport activities and games for 7-11 year olds

• Encourages children to participate in quality out of school sport activities.

• Encourages clubs and communities to offer Dragon Sport and link with the local primary schools.

• Recruit and train organisers to provide safe and purposeful sporting opportunities (no requirement to be ‘expert’ coaches.

Dragon Sport

• 8 hours training (RCT)• Assigned school/club• Groups of 4• Responsible for

organisation and delivery

• 15 week programme• Final festival• Practical and reflective

assessments

Impact of Dragon Sport

2000/1 2003/4 2006/7

Schools 168 1150 1358

Clubs 41 572 696

Children 3329 75,500 118,533

Volunteers 419 5025 6420 Source: SCW

Dragon Sport: Student/University benefits

• Practical experience

• Guaranteed place on Camp America programme

• Opportunity to be employed by Glamorgan Sports Camps during vacations

• Opportunity to become Dragon Sport trainers

• Improvement in interpersonal skills

• Students work in their own communities.

E3 After School Physical Activity Programme

E3 After School Physical Activity Programme

Rationale• Only 24% secondary age children do 5x60mins of physical activity per week • Children progressing from Dragon Sport into year 7 lack opportunities to continue

extracurricular activity

Principles• Main aim is to increase the % of children of secondary age undertaking 5 x 60 minutes of

sport and physical activity • Focus on children taking part in less than 5x60 minutes • Create children leaving school who are: positive about sport and physical activity, skilful,

knowledgeable, active • The Climbing Higher Strategy aims to have 100% of primary aged children taking part in

after school physical activity, and 90% of secondary school children taking after school activity.

The Target • The key performance indicator for success will be the increase in the percentage of school

children taking part in extra-curricular sport and physical activity on a regular basis. This programme will be the main vehicle for achieving the Welsh Assembly Government’s aim of 90% of children taking part in regular and frequent physical activity.

Partners Involved

University of Glamorgan

RCT TeachingLocal Health Board

RCT Sport DevelopmentRCT Education Authority

TonypandyPorthTonyrefailY-PantAberdare BoysAberdare GirlsCoedylanCwm ClydachMiskinMaesycoed

Impact of the Programme• Increase in physical activity levels of children within

the “critical window” of the day• To provide exit routes for children regarding sport

and physical activity within the community• “Coaching is central to the development of sport at

every level” (WAG/SCW Coaching Plan for Wales, 2004).

UKCC Long Term Coach Development Model -

Coaching Framework ( A 3-7-11 Action Plan)

Jobs – Minimum Operating Standards

• (1) A minimum of 2 years coaching experience

• (2) Hold (or be working towards) a minimum of one level 2 National Governing Body Qualifications

• (3) A First Aid qualification

• (4) Experience of planning, delivering and co-ordinating coaching programmes for young people

• (5) A full driving license (6) A willingness to work evenings and weekends and;

• Knowledge of LTAD• Multi-Skills training• Key SCUK Workshops

– Child Protection– Disability– Equity in Your Coaching– Working with Young Children

Sports & Play Development Officer Salary: £18,952 -

£21,535 Sports Development Officer Salary: £20,895 -

£22,293

Community Sports Coach Salary: £19,500

Community Development Officer

Salary: £16,743 - £21,590 pa pro rata

Youth Sports Development Officer

Salary: £22,620 to £25,476

COMMUNITY MULTI-SKILLS COACHSalary: £20,235

5x60 Officer

£18,450 - £20,235

Challenges of Placements

• Health & Safety• Student Numbers• Quality Assurance

• Mentoring• Reflection• Empowerment• Ownership