Across the UK, the sport, physical activity and youth sector is powered by small and micro-sized community organisations. From grassroots sports clubs and leisure providers to youth charities and community trusts, these organisations are often best placed to understand the needs, challenges and aspirations of the people they serve. Yet, we keep hearing that for small and micro sized employers, finding and retaining staff who not only have the right skills, but are relatable to local people, reflect the diversity of their communities and can build genuine connections with participants, is a real challenge.
Apprenticeships can help solve this problem. They provide organisations with additional capacity, fresh ideas and an opportunity to grow and develop their staff, all whilst creating meaningful career opportunities for young people in their local area. “They bring a fresh perspective”, one employer said, “particularly around things like social media. They bring new ideas and I think that's really helpful."
Since 2012, Coach Core has supported more than 1,100 apprentices and worked alongside over 300 employers across the UK. By providing recruitment support, guidance on how to navigate the apprenticeship system, grant funding where available, and ongoing pastoral support, Coach Core helps remove many of the barriers that can make apprenticeships feel daunting for smaller organisations. Our research consistently shows that employers value apprenticeships as a way of supporting marginalised young people into employment and creating opportunities for those who may otherwise struggle to access the sector.
Sport is a door opener for breaking down barriers- it's so important being able to give somebody the opportunity and chance to take a step onto the career ladder. The benefits are equally significant for our young people. They continually highlight the value of gaining practical experience alongside recognised qualifications, building confidence and developing professional skills- all whilst making a difference to their local community: One of our young people said, “I thought I'd have to go away to get a job in sport, but now I've got a job in my local area, where I grew up, I want to stick here and provide the next generation opportunities.”
The message is clear: apprenticeships work. They help employers build a stronger, more diverse staff team, that better reflects the communities in which they operate. In many cases, apprentices also allow them to reach new audiences, or work in areas they have struggled to access previously. They also work for young people, providing accessible entry routes into employment, enabling them to make a difference in their local area and helping them to build their skills and experience.
We want our workforce to be representative of the communities that we're serving. If we have a young person or a responsible adult who is from South Asian descent who is also a practising Muslim, they understand that community far better than we will.”
“Going into the apprenticeship I knew what my basic strengths were, but I put myself in situations I wouldn’t normally participate in to learn new skills. By the end of the apprenticeship, I was confident in those areas including leadership skills and especially confidence and working off my own initiative” We continue to advocate for the value of apprenticeships. However, we do also recognise that for many SMEs and micro-sized organisations in the sport and physical activity sector, cost, capacity and confidence remain significant barriers to taking on an apprentice. We are looking forward to seeing the impact of the new Government incentives- and whether they are enough to enable SMEs to take that first step.
But alongside these incentives, Coach Core will continue to offer practical support to employers, including a £3,500 apprenticeship grant for eligible organisations, helping to reduce some of the financial barriers associated with recruiting and developing young people. If you're a sport, physical activity or youth sector organisation considering apprenticeships, we'd love to hear from you. Together, we can create more opportunities for young people, strengthen local communities and build the workforce our sector needs for the future.
Written by
Amy Fazackerley, Policy and Partnerships Manage, Coach Core Foundation