Record number of coaches offered help in latest Bursary Fund round
A record number of sports coaches have been offered financial support to gain new skills and qualifications in the latest round of the Derbyshire Coach Bursary Fund.
The latest round of funding will see 60 coaches benefit, with more than £6,000 handed out to paid and volunteer coaches across the county.
This includes six coaches from the Derbyshire Dales, 17 from Chesterfield, four from South Derbyshire, two from Erewash, 12 from Derby City, seven from North East Derbyshire, three from High Peak, two from Bolsover and seven from Amber Valley.
The successful coaches work across 13 sports, including, cricket, canoeing, hockey, netball, rounders, swimming, football and badminton.
Thanks to the funding 24 recipients will work towards assistant coach qualifications (Level 1), 26 will undertake Level 2 coach qualifications and ten will receive other coach education.
Derbyshire Sport was successful in increasing the funding available to coaches through a £4,450 grant from the Learning and Skills Council. This additional funding was used to support coaches aiming to achieve Level 2 and 3 qualifications.
The training will give the coaches an increased knowledge and confidence in the sports they work in, enabling them to deliver high quality sessions to young people across Derbyshire.
Councillor Clive Moesby, Chair of Derbyshire Sport, said: “By supporting coaches to gain accredited qualifications, we hope more young people will get a better, more positive experience of sport.
“We want to see young people taking part in sport regularly, achieving the highest level they can, and the Coach Bursary Fund is one way we hope to achieve this.”
The bursary fund encourages and supports the personal and professional development of coaches working across Derbyshire, through subsidising the costs of coach education.
Anyone who works to encourage and improve the sporting abilities of others through schools or other community clubs, on a paid or voluntary basis, is eligible to apply for cash help.
Money can be used to pay for training, or other associated costs such as travel and accommodation, to gain new qualifications or skills through observation and mentoring.
Applications for the next round of funding are now being accepted, and must be received by April 30, 2008.
Derbyshire Sport launched the Coach Bursary Fund 15 months ago, and since then more than £15,000 has been shared between more than 150 coaches in the county, many of whom are volunteers within local sports club or coach developing links with local schools, supporting young leaders and increasing participation in Derbyshire.
Coaches can apply for up to 50 per cent of the total cost of training, up to a maximum of £200.
Priority is given to people who are actively coaching in Derbyshire, and applications are particularly welcome from women, black and ethnic minorities, disabled people and unemployed, who are under represented in coaching.
For more details or to apply contact Andrea Stone, Coach and Volunteer Development Officer on 01773 571222 or click here.