British Canoeing
British Canoeing's coach self-analysis tool
Blazing a trail in learning and development, British Canoeing launched its ‘Coach Self-Analysis Tool and Digital Library’ in October 2019, transforming its coach learning experience.
Although the governing body’s new educational philosophy allows for a flexible, learner-centred approach, where learners are empowered to choose their entry point for continuing professional development, depending on experience, some were feeling a little uncertain about where to begin. And, indeed, with 15,000 coaches across all paddle sports, each with their own learning requirements and degrees of experience, a solution was required to help individuals accurately measure their current level of understanding, skill and knowledge in their chosen area. Enter British Canoeing’s new tool.
From a questionnaire that focuses on five areas of coaching, learners are signposted to the right learning and development they need within the ‘Digital Library’. By June of this year, more than 2300 coaches had accessed the tool, viewing resources in the library over 37,000 times.
British Cycling
British Cycling's Education Delivery Manger Robbie George
British Cycling set out to better support and develop its coaching workforce, across several cycling disciplines, by launching British Cycling Learning.
The new system offers coaches a scalable, modular approach to learning, streamlining the learner journey and giving learners a range of digital options, including standalone eLearning modules (90 of them!), webinars and communities of practice.
The system has been so successful it is being used at every level of the organisation and across every course, ensuring employees of British Cycling and cycling coaches nationwide are consistent in their approach towards transforming cycling coaching in the UK.
An additional change to their coaching offer to support more coaches includes the recruitment of 10 regional ‘Club and Coaches Officers’, who support coach forums, manage bursaries for courses and deliver continuing professional development opportunities. For example, 25 grassroots coaches were accompanied by a UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) coach developer to an indoor velodrome for a workshop focusing on developing track cyclists. British Cycling has alo set up digital communities of practice for its 130-strong tutor workforce.
ECB - Cities Programme Team
Volunteer coach gives bowling instructions as part of the ECB's All Stars Cricket Programme
The England and Wales Cricket Board set out to recruit 2000 women from South Asian backgrounds as volunteers for its All Stars Cricket programme, across seven cities.
Insight had shown the governing body that multiple barriers existed for these women, stopping them from volunteering in sport. These included having a volunteering space that is accessible and safe, and having suitable kit/clothing options that are inclusive of cultural dress.
Thus, the Cities Programme Team set about delivering an aspirational and representative marketing campaign titled ‘Dream Big Desi Women’ that engaged their target audience. They addressed the aforementioned barriers by holding national cricket programmes in non-traditional locations, where the women could feel comfortable and could travel to easily, including faith and community spaces, and introduced modest kit options for its volunteers, including longer t-shirts, loose fitting trousers, long-sleeve skins and a sports hijab.
To ensure the volunteers were kept engaged after their initial 8-week commitment, the team created a ‘chai and chat’ female-only virtual event, filled with cricket news, guest interviews and interactive chats with volunteers from across England. One of the volunteers is now employed by the ECB.