UK Coaching has launched a Duty to Care toolkit that will equip coaches with knowledge and skills across diversity, inclusion, mental health, safeguarding and wellbeing.
The toolkit will be available on UK Coaching’s learning and development programme ukcoaching.org and is the result of extensive consultation with a range of partners and coaches across the UK.
It will challenge coaches to demonstrate their knowledge of the principles of duty to care set across the five areas known as pillars and will guide them to learning resources where they can adapt sessions to create diverse and inclusive environments that help to increase the mental health and wellbeing of them and their participants.
- Diversity is who you attract to your session. Organisations, clubs and coaches have an obligation to provide equality of opportunity for those taking part. This precludes discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age, ability or sexual orientation.
- Inclusion is how you tailor delivery to different audiences and how you treat people to keep them involved.
- Just like physical health, we all have mental health and, just as our bodies can become unwell, so can our minds.
- Safeguarding: Protecting people (children and adults, grassroots to high performers) from harmful practice in sport and physical activity.
- Wellbeing: A coach can positively influence the way people think, feel and behave and support them to build their resilience, self-esteem and confidence, which are essential to maintaining and improving psychological and emotional well-being.
Melanie Marshall – Photo Courtesy: Action Woman Twitter
Coaches who complete the free Duty to Care Knowledge Check in each pillar will earn themselves a nationally recognised Duty to Care ‘Digital Badge’.
The findings of Baroness Grey-Thompson’s Duty of Care in Sport review coincided with UK Coaching’s plan to devise a product that ensures coaches are sufficiently equipped to deliver great coaching and thereby, inspire their participants to develop lifelong active lifestyles and ensure athletes’ welfare is at the top of their priority list.
Mel Marshall, coach to Adam Peaty and British Swimming National Centre Lead Coach, said:
“To me coaching is about people, and how coaching illuminates’ human beings, so it’s fantastic to see UK Coaching releasing a resource that will help coaches to find their feet again after what has been an incapacitating time for us.”
UK Coaching’s Director of Coaching Emma Atkins said:
“We are ecstatic about the launch of our new Duty to Care Toolkit and Digital Badge, which supports coaches by enabling them to show their commitment to great coaching, and to continue to improve the coaching experience people receive.
“In the coronavirus era, coaches have a big part to play in their communities, lifting the mood and boosting the physical, social, emotional and mental health of the nation. More than ever before, we need to look after our participants regardless of where they are on their sport and physical activity journey.
“The last few months have put an unimaginable strain on people’s physical and mental well-being, and thus, we are seeing a society desperate to return to sport and exercise. We know that many coaches are wanting to return to coaching too, but they want the reassurance that they can do this safely and confidently.
“Many of the nation’s coaches, whether they’re grassroots or elite level, need support and learning opportunities so they can effectively look after the well-being of their participants, as well as their own too.
“At UK Coaching, we pride ourselves in supporting coaches who transform the lives of individuals and communities to help create a happier and healthier society. This extensive toolkit will help all coaches thrive in their role, which is essential if we are to navigate this uncertain time together and get the nation back on its feet.”
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