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History of the UKCC

From UK Vision for Coaching came the Government's Plan for Sport published March 2001
There were nearly 60 organisations involved directly in the development for coaching for the future. 

The Key Message - action on coaching a priority

Coaches are people who motivate, encourage and inspire. Without them there would be no medals and most performers, whatever their ability, would fail to reach their full potential.

The Government recognises that coaching is central to the development of sport at every level and we need to make coaching education programmes accessible and widely available to provide a clear performance pathway and career development for coaches, just as there will be for athletes.'

The Coaching Task Force (CTF) was established June 2001 with Andy Worthington as Chairman. The membership: diverse range of bodies with an interest in coaching (sports councils, NGBs, LAs, training organisations, scUK, equity partners)

They saw the challenges ahead for coaching...
* It is predominantly a voluntary role
* Not enough coaches possessing suitable skills, knowledge and experience
* Not enough coaches available to coach when required
* Quality coaches over-working and burning out
* Too many unqualified individuals coaching
* Quality of qualification process and costs of qualification
* Optional system
* No management and updating

And internationally...
* absence of a national coaching structure and central lead agency
* coach development should match athlete development
* absence of harmonisation between sports and home countries
* absence of a common and professionally recognised qualification
* low employment levels/professional status in UK
* guidelines needed on employment/payment
* need for enhanced NGB expertise to develop coach education programmes
* need for more employment opportunities
* need for a registration/licensing scheme to drive CPD

Conclusions from the CTF
* Not enough paid opportunities
* Too much reliance on volunteers
* No proper career structure
* Lack of nationally recognised/transferable qualifications

CTF Recommendations
* Regional talent-development coaches
* Coachmatch, now Community Sports Coach scheme
* Network of coach development officers
* Come into Coaching
* UK Coaching Certificate
* National Directors of Coach Education

Planning for implementation of recommendations
* SR2002 outcome announced July 2002
* Funding over three years - £28m
* Project board established with DCMS, scUK, Sport England, UK Sport, HCSC, ILAM, NGBs, Equity and CCPR and SkillsactiveUK
* Sub-delivery groups
- UK Coaching Certificate
- Coach Development Officers
- Community Sports Coaches

The objectives of the UK Coaching Certificate
* To establish a 5 level UK wide framework by 2004 and to implement it in full in 20 sports and have introduced the concept to further 10 sports by 2006.
* To ensure that those 20 sports have the time, support and resources to achieve the full UKCC which will create a flexible delivery system for coaches that pays due regard to the diverse needs of different groups at all levels

UKCC - sub targets
* The establishment of a five level UKCC linked to national standards by July 2004
* An increase from 0 to 20 sports achieving the standard of UKCC at all levels by December 2006
* An increase from 0 to 5 sports providing access to an UKCC qualification during 2006

The Principles of the UKCC
* Coach and participant centred
* Based on National Standards
* Vertical and horizontal progression
* Quality assurance
* Flexible
* Centrally co-ordinated
* Stakeholder ownership
* Build on existing good practice

In summary the UKCC was developed in order to
* Advance coach education programmes and practices
* Support the development of coaching as a profession
* Require a commitment to review and develop existing programmes and practices

Contribute to the step change required to achieve
'The UK Vision for Coaching'