Discover the Power of Partnership through UK Coaching’s Partner Platform
News By Blake Richardson
When Active Lincolnshire enlisted our support to create an online learning platform for their workforce to easily access training and resources tailored to their local workforce’s needs, we provided the perfect solution.
As both a sports coach and Community Sports Development Officer, having access to the Active Skills learning platform is incredibly valuable. The platform provides a wealth of support, from enhancing my coaching techniques to keeping me informed about best practices in the sector. It’s an essential resource that helps me deliver high-quality, inclusive sessions while continuing to grow professionally.”
Liam Fay Sports coach and Community Development Officer with Magna Vitae
As part of our regular conversations with partners, we consistently hear the same feedback:
- A strong desire for a dynamic, customisable online platform that empowers them to create engaging and personalised learning journeys for their workforce.
- Automation of certification for both informal and regulated learning, ensuring seamless recognition of achievements.
- Simplified, user-friendly enrolment onto learning modules and verification of task completion, reducing administrative overheads.
- Real-time reporting to support organisations in identifying trends in content consumption, learning completion rates, and gaining insights into user learning behaviours.
- A platform that is more cost-effective than purchasing your own Learning Management System by allowing you to integrate your own learning products as well as access UK Coaching content and products, and other third-party training.
At UK Coaching, we listen carefully to our partners’ calls for creative technical solutions, understanding that transforming learning for coaches will transform lives for participants. Our innovative new Learning Experience Platform (LXP) delivers exactly what our partners have been asking for.
UK Coaching’s Partner Platform has the potential to revolutionise the learning space.
Naturally, the provision of an online tool that offers such a wealth of development opportunities comes with many additional wishes from partners keen to explore its bespoke capabilities.
But as Active Lincolnshire discovered, by collaborating with UK Coaching on leveraging the Partner Platform to create their own truly bespoke learning hub, we were able to grant their every wish.
A Case Study on our transformative partnership
When we joined forces with Active Lincolnshire to create what would come to be known as the Active Skills Learning Platform, the Active Lincolnshire team had a number of special requests.
They wanted an online learning hub to support the sector with quality learning for topics identified as “fundamental” following discussions with volunteers, clubs, community groups and professionals across the sector.
Acknowledging the strength of UK Coaching’s course offering, Active Lincolnshire wanted to create a centralised location for learners to easily access resources and training.
They also wanted an online hub to track the growth and progress of their learners through a tailored learning journey, enabling them to understand popular content and learner access patterns.
We provided a centralised data management system that not only monitors course completions and resource views but also helps the team integrate this information into data sheets, offering valuable at-a-glance insights. This allows them to better identify and invest in emerging trends. Additionally, automated reporting features enable deeper analysis potential, facilitating more informed decision-making.
It was important to Active Lincolnshire that learners should benefit from a personalised dashboard to track their learning and progress, including CPD points. It should cater to both current volunteers and paid professionals, as well those aspiring to upskill themselves to better support the residents of Active Lincolnshire to become more physically active.
We gave the team the capability to administer and manage the flexible mix of formal and informal learning opportunities and evolving site content. We also created a bespoke learner registration and sign-up process tailored to their requirements. A key requirement was to reduce administrative burdens by taking advantage of the automation capabilities of the platform and the support of UK Coaching’s customer care team.
We weren’t concerned when the numbers began to add up. Think of UK Coaching’s Partner Platform like a game of Bingo you can’t lose, because every number you write on your wish-list, we can pull out of the bag.
The Portal we created for Active Lincolnshire is a key component of their Active Skills Hub, a new website that will evolve to meet the needs of the physical activity sector in Lincolnshire.
A collaborative effort between UK Coaching, Active Lincolnshire, and Identity Agency (the creative design agency that developed the Active Skills Hub) resulted in the development of clear signposting to Active Lincolnshire's Portal.
A dedicated webpage promotes the Partner Platform, explains what learners can access, and how they can get involved. The Hub was designed to ensure learners are not constantly signing into different places. The goal was to make access to the learning portal as seamless as possible.
Platform Access Process:
For Phase 1, the platform access was exclusive to individuals supported by Active Lincolnshire’s Skills Fund – an initiative focusing on equipping individuals working in the East Lindsey and South Holland areas of Lincolnshire with skills to promote and deliver physical activity within their communities.
There was already a waiting list for the portal when Active Lincolnshire embarked on this journey with us. A few weeks after roll-out, there had been 140 applications, and 50 spots filled.
The team auto enrolled those learners who successfully applied for the Active Lincolnshire Skills Fund, simultaneously completing course enrolments with external training providers for the qualifications or skill development they requested.
Learner Enrolment:
Once enrolled, learners received an email to activate their account and set a password. They could then access a predefined learning catalogue of UK Coaching resources and courses. Learners could browse this catalogue at their leisure while also engaging in the external learning they requested.
We created an external module on the Learning Platform where learners could upload their certificates of completion, answer impact questions, and submit evidence. This allowed Active Lincolnshire to view and analyse results, follow up on learner journeys, and issue certificates acknowledging their training.
User-Friendly Access:
Once learners create and activate their accounts, they can access the platform through their email, or a button on the Active Skills Hub website that takes them to the login page, where they enter their email and password.
Once logged in, learners can access fundamental UK Coaching resources and training, such as Safeguarding eLearning, Mental Health Awareness for Sport and Physical Activity+, and Inclusive Activity Programme eLearning, many of which carry CIMSPA endorsements.
Not only does this offer more choice and development for users, it has also saved Active Lincolnshire significant time and capacity without the need to invest in redeveloping an equal volume of learning,” says Kelly Rodrigues, UK Coaching’s Learning and Assessment Product Team Manager.
Phase two of the project will introduce an e-commerce function within the platform, allowing residents, clubs and education providers across the entire county to purchase access to the Portal at a partnership discounted rate. When the platform is opened to the public, a free browsing catalogue will be added to the Skills Hub webpage. This catalogue will offer bundle options at discounted rates, enabling the Lincolnshire community to buy packages for their professional development.
Levelling up Lincolnshire
How the Partner Platform made a difference
Skills Manager, Laura Spurr, was complimentary about UK Coaching’s role in helping Active Lincolnshire bring their vision to life.
The courses and resources provided on the partner portal were carefully selected to offer a comprehensive learning opportunity on topics we identified as ‘fundamentals’ for individuals in the sport and physical activity sector.”
Ultimately, says Laura, the platform has the potential to contribute significantly to the development of the sport and physical activity sector in Lincolnshire and advance the county’s levelling-up goals.
As with other Active Partnerships, there is an urgent need to level up communities and support the most disadvantaged people in society.
This requires highly trained, highly motivated, and high-quality people to inspire and influence behaviour change across all different age groups, levels of ability and backgrounds.
The new Active Skills Learning Platform supports learners to be great at what they do, so they can effect great change.
Laura adds: “The portal has and will continue to allow people living or working within Lincolnshire to easily access these vital courses, supporting them on their journey to getting started in the sector and/or becoming greater assets within the communities they serve.”
Laura also praised the level of support received, highlighting the meticulous attention to detail from first embarking on the project to its fruition.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the entire team for their exceptional work on our partner portal. Their dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit were instrumental in the successful completion of phase 1 of the project.
The team supporting us with the development of our portal were a pleasure to work with. They were consistently responsive, clear, and proactive in their communication, ensuring all questions and concerns were addressed promptly. Their technical expertise was evident, resulting in a visually appealing, error-free portal.
“The team demonstrated flexibility and adaptability, adjusting to changing requirements and timelines without compromising quality. Their dedication to delivering a high-quality product was evident throughout the entire project. We are very satisfied with the outcome and would not hesitate to work with them again in the future.”
Personalise, prioritise, and perfect!
Let us know how you envision your bespoke Partner Platform, which topics you want to prioritise, and we will design tailored journeys to guide your learners.
One of the standout features of our platform is its flexibility in user registration and access control. Partners can either register learners themselves or provide a sign-up option, allowing them to manage permissions and access rules effectively. This ensures that learners have a smooth onboarding experience and can easily access the content they need.
The platform’s homepage is fully customisable, enabling partners to tailor it to their specific needs. For example, Bikeability use their ‘Learning and Assessment Portal’ primarily for assessments, while Badminton England’s ‘Learner Portal’ focuses on showcasing available courses. This adaptability means that each partner can create a homepage that directs learners to the most relevant content, whether it’s a specific course, a search term, or a comprehensive learning catalogue.
Kelly adds: “We always aim to understand each partner’s needs, both immediate and long term. This allows our team of experts to offer a range of scalable and bespoke solutions. No platform is the same!
“Some partners’ primary focus is on flexible, learner-led, regulated learning and assessment journeys, taking advantage of the online tutoring and assessment functionality. Others wish to host content for specific audiences, such as novice coaches, experienced coaches, and the general public. We adopt a user-led approach, working with partners to understand how the platform can support organisations to maximise their investment, gain efficiencies, and realise maximum impact for their users.”
Additionally, the platform supports a variety of content types, from e-learning courses to workshops, and allows for easy navigation between different pieces of content. This flexibility ensures that learners can access a rich and diverse range of learning materials, all within a single, cohesive system.
By providing a user-friendly and customisable learning environment, our Partner Platform inspires learners to engage more deeply with the content and achieve their educational goals.
By allowing partners to choose background images and add their branding, the platform ensures a consistent and professional look that aligns with their existing websites. This seamless integration enhances the user journey, making it intuitive and visually appealing.
The Partner Platform is more cost-effective than purchasing your own Learning Management System, our platform allows you to integrate your own learning products as well as access UK Coaching content and products. With extensive automation features, such as bulk uploading of learners, the platform reduces administrative time and minimises the risk of data protection errors, ensuring compliance throughout the system.
Personal Profile Management:
Learners can upload certificates into their personal profiles, allowing them to keep a comprehensive record of their achievements, track progress and work through personalised learning plans. This feature ensures that all certifications, whether obtained through the UK Coaching Partner Platform or elsewhere, are easily accessible in one place.
Audience Management:
Partners can manage the audience for specific content within the Learning Catalogue. This means certain materials can be restricted to specific groups, ensuring that only authorised individuals have access, or content can be shared across multiple audiences. Additionally, widgets can be added to link to external learning and certifications, providing a holistic view of a learner’s career development.
Permissions and Access Control:
The platform allows for detailed permissions settings, enabling partners to control who can access certain courses. This ensures that sensitive or advanced content is only available to those who meet the necessary criteria. Additional permissions are available for regulated learning supporting organisations to remain compliant with regulatory requirements.
User Dashboard:
Learners have access to a personalised dashboard where they can view their in-progress and completed learning. This dashboard also allows them to easily add new learning assignments, making it simple to manage their educational journey.
Managerial Oversight:
Managers can track the progress of their team members, seeing who has completed various courses. This information is recorded and can be added to data sheets, providing valuable insights into the team’s learning and development.
Data Reporting:
With hundreds of reports and thousands of configurations available, we will collaborate with you to understand your data reporting needs and train you on how to generate these reports.
Learner Journey Tracking:
The platform tracks the learner journey, providing insights into the courses and content that interest them.
Automated Notifications:
We can configure the notification engine to set up automated triggers, informing learners when they are enrolled in a course. This feature allows you to monitor learners’ progress and flags overdue tasks based on the deadlines you set.
Chat Functionality:
Learners can interact with each other through wall posts, private messages, or by booking meetings. If multiple learners are taking the same course, they can easily connect and create chat rooms. Your admin can manage this feature, including moderating the chat if necessary.
Comprehensive Learning Management:
The platform supports the full suite of content and learning. Whether online or in person workshops, digital resources, eLearning, blended pathways, regulated/ in-house assessments, external evidence of learning. The platform can administer it all, and in any combination.
Collaboration and Networking:
You have control over your operational processes regarding personal data protection and privacy for communities. When creating a group, you can choose to make it public, private, or select other options.
Skill Development Pathways:
The skills function enables learners to work towards achieving any number of skills, knowledge or behavioural competencies. This feature sets out clear development journeys, illustrating to users how they are progressing to achieve a set of competencies – as an example, a professional standard.
Join forces with us
These functionalities make our Partner Platform a powerful tool for both learners and administrators, fostering a more organised, efficient, and engaging learning environment.
Want to partner up? Then get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
Organisations interested in developing a Partner Portal should e-mail [email protected].
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