Sports Leaders' Education and Training

Leadership Academy Opportunities

Warrington’s Leadership Academy is basically a club for young people aged 14-19, who are actively involved in sports leadership and volunteering. Through being identified as members of this Academy, young people can access a range of training opportunities which will help improve their sports leadership skills whether as a coach, official, media person, event volunteer or administrator. We also run workshops which will raise members’ awareness of the kinds of future experiences (education, careers, future event volunteering) which they might begin to plan for. Apart from this, members’ will have opportunities to come together and share their experiences as sports volunteers, learn from their peers, celebrate their successes and socialise!

Sports Leader UK Awards

Sports Leaders UK is the leading provider of education and training opportunities for aspiring sports leaders. These awards include Sports Leader 1,2 and 3, Dance Leaders, Women Get Set Go! and the Day Certificate in Sports Leadership. Tutor training is available for many of these awards, so that they can be delivered in schools or in community settings.

National Governing Body Awards

National Governing Bodies of sport in the UK are very supportive of sports volunteers, as many sports clubs, competitions and events rely upon such people to make things happen. If you have a ‘bug’ for a particular sport, you might like to take part in a course to help you act as a sports leaders or volunteer within it. Below are some links which will be of use to mentors and volunteers in finding and accessing NGB courses. If you are interested in taking volunteering as a coach to the next level, visit the Sportscoach UK website and find out about the UKCC coaching framework.

List of National Governing Body Leadership, Helpers and Officiating Awards 2008/2009 – applicable for Young Sports Leaders.

Comprehensive List of National Governing Body Leadership, Helpers and Officiating Awards 2008/2009 – includes duration, resources, costs, contacts.

List of National Governing Body Personnel Contacts.

FE (College) Courses

FE Colleges, including Warrington Collegiate and Priestley College, and 6th Form Colleges ( Lysander, Penketh, Appleton College, Woolston, Great Sankey) across Warrington offer a wide variety of sports courses and volunteering opportunities to young adults. These courses can lead to a careers and have links to University courses.

HE (University) Courses

The University of Chester is an ideal place to continue to study sport and to extend the skills and interests which may have been developed during sports leadership activities at school.  These include Sport and Exercise Science, Sport Development and Sport Coaching.

Warrington Play Leaders (PALs)

In Warrington there are many opportunities for younger pupils to get involved with sports leadership and volunteering.  One of these is through taking part in training to become Playground Activity Leaders (PALS). The role of Playground Activity Leaders, as their name suggests, is to get their peers being active in the playground.  Sometimes these PALs work alongside other adults, such as Mid Day Supervisors, who may have undertaken Phys Kids training.  For further information on both of these courses and how to access them, contact Jan Parker, PE Consultant at Warrington Borough Council.

Young Ambassador

Young Ambassadors are Sports Leaders aged between 11-19, whose role is to promote the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and to get other young people involved.  Find out more about the Young Ambassador programme