This informal CPD article, ‘Sport CPD is Vital’ was provided by Progressay, an educational teacher tool to make marking meaningful without adding to teacher workload.
People often lack the training to deliver sporting opportunities to young people.
Roughly half of 7-17 year olds do not participate in sport due to a lack of quality provision in their area. A major cause is the shortage in those trained to be able to deliver sporting opportunities to young people. While evidence clearly indicates that sport and outdoor physical activity can have such a positive impact on the lives of young people, a study undertaken by LSE indicated that many staff and volunteers in schools and youth centres have limited training.
Although the Olympics legacy has provided a number of new / improved training grounds the number of people able to offer sessions is limited. 45% of children in the UK aged 7-17 take part in a sport or physical activity every day or most days. The most popular sports and activities led by a coach being undertaken by young people aged 12-17 are football (33%), dance (20%) and swimming (17%). Ensuring the coaches have up to date training means these young people are getting the best quality sessions.
Research shows that:
- Sport can often help keep children and young people out of trouble.
- Sport makes a significant difference to young lives.
- It contributes to young people’s health and, therefore, their development.
- It involves engaging with other young people in a positive way, thereby helping to avoid trouble.
- It encourages concentration, motivation and other learning skills that help their education, as well as their working and social lives.
CPD Training in Sport
CPD in sport therefore offers a variety of benefits both to the trained person and to those who they work with. These positives can be seen to centre around economics as much as personal development. A recently published Active for Employment: Enhancing employability through sport and physical activity participation published by Bath University at the end of 2022 made interesting reading. Their research showed how “targeted sport for employability style programmes in underserved communities play a vital role in the cost-of-living crisis”.
It is clear that sports training for staff, volunteers and young people is an excellent investment. There are the immediate benefits to the individual in that they improve their portfolio, update their skills, have the potential to earn more or have an alternative income stream. But the cascade effect of receiving training is just as important. The provision of sporting opportunities for young people can increase their future employment prospects as they learn social skills, develop their networks, and improve their fitness-to-work.
In the words of the Executive Director for the Sport For Development Coalition, Hitesh Patel, “With the UK now contending with a cost of living crisis, it is vital that we mobilise all societal assets that can help tackle inequalities”. It is clear that CPD training and upskilling in sport is one of these.
We hope you found this article helpful. For more information from Progressay, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
References:
Moving the Goalposts: Poverty and Access to Sports for Young People
How Sport Can Tackle Youth Unemployment And Cost Of Living Crisis Report 2022 https://www.yorkshiresport.org/2022/11/14/how-sport-can-help-tackle-youth-unemployment-and-cost-of-living-crisis/
