Building on our work delivered between 2019 to 2021 and our research underpinning the Building a Workforce for the Future strategy, in 2021/22 we will further seek to add value to the London sport and physical activity workforce.
Our aim is to build skills and confidence in the sport and physical activity workforce, so that they are better equipped to support Londoners to be physically active. We will also continue to broaden the sport and physical activity workforce, by reaching out to other workforce sectors like health.
Our work in the coming year shall focus on the following audiences:
- Selected healthcare sector employees
- Teachers in state education sector
- Sport and physical activity workforce leaders
- Trusted workforce partners with sympathetic workforce aims.
As well as the above targeted activity, we believe workforce has a role to play in all our aspirations at London Sport.
We will work to develop a greater understanding of workforce issues across the sector and we will also endeavour to help internal and external colleagues devote suitable resource and energy to embed workforce development in their activity.
Training support for Social Prescribers and Link Workers
London Sport with the support of the University of Kent, has developed training for staff and volunteers working in social prescribing programmes.
The aim of the training is to support Social Prescribers to become more skilled and confident on advocating and facilitating their clients into sport and physical activity.
Training Workshop
The training will:
- Support individual Social Prescribers/Link Workers to advocate physical activity
- Work with programme leaders to upskill their staff and volunteers around sport and physical activity.
- Support inactive Londoners to become more active.
Learn more about our training workshop:
With the University of Kent, Centre for Health Services Studies, we held a webinar (watch again, right) to share the impact of this work.
To access the slides from the webinar, click here.
The evidence based, interactive training can be delivered online or in-person.
For more information click here, contact David Reader (also available via 07572 094425).
Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Network
London Sport understands the importance of the sport and physical activity workforce for getting Londoners back to being active following the covid-19 lockdown. We’ve been busy trying to find ways to support the workforce more and how we can support their role in the delivery of sport and physical activity.
So, we’ve created a new Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Network which will support all those who manage, organise or rely on a workforce to deliver their sport and physical activity.
Next Workforce Network Session: TBC
Previous Workforce Network Sessions
Dr Lindsay Findlay-King (University of Northumbria) and Dr Fiona Reid (Bayfirth Research) outlined their recent research which examined the restrictions to combat the covid-19 pandemic and how that created a unique context for sports volunteers and organisations to innovate. In the second half of the Network session, Alex Gibbons from London Sport outlinde the funding opportunities available to London-based organisations through our new Together Fund.
This Workforce Network session was held as our first hybrid session where we married an in-person and virtual attendees. Catch-up and watch the session here.
You can view the slides for the session here.
The fourth network session saw keynote speakers Sophie Epsley, from Access Sport, alongside Ollie Holt and the CIMPSA Digital Marketing Team. The pair shared their insights into getting more of the community involved in the sport and physical activity workforce and the new Digital Marketing Hub.
Sophie presented a case study of her recent project around increasing community involvement while Ollie and the CIMPSA Digital Marketing Team outlined the new Digital Marketing Hub and explored the opportunities that it offers for the London Sport and Physical Activity workforce.
To watch the workforce network session, click here. You can view the slides for this session here.
Jenny Buckham-Hedges from UK Coaching headlined June’s Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Network, presenting new research and findings on the coaches and coaching during the pandemic.
The findings from the UK Coaching 2021 Great Coaching Comeback Survey were explored by attendees, with the top three challenges identified by coaches as being:
- Ensuring adequate safety
- Motivating people to return
- Restarting events
Jenny and the audience discussed some of the responses needed by the sector to ensure coaches continue to play a vital role in keeping people active, as we return back to normality.
In addition to the main session, Specialist Advisor, David Reader highlighted some workforce opportunities for the region and shared some research around professional workforce recognition.
You can listen back to the session here with the presentation available here.
Jennie Arthur from Sport England headlined the recent Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Network, presenting new research and findings on how volunteering is changing in the sector.
Attendees from across London learnt how volunteer management as a consequence, will need to change in the future, with some of these changes gathering further momentum because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The insights were gathered as a result of recent research Sport England had conducted over the last twelve months. The Network session explored how the findings could be interpreted and used by those working with volunteers in the London region.
Earlier in the session, London Sport’s David Reader discussed how those involved in the Network could be more involved with a skills-based approach to development.
Click here to view a recording of the session with the presentations available here.
The first London Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Network took place digitally on Wednesday 19 November and saw attendees explore some of the issues affecting the sector.
Spencer Moore, CIMPSA Director of Strategy, explored recent findings from their 2020 Workforce Insight Report which, as well as providing a national overview, covered many London-specific issues such as: recruitment issues, skill shortages and potential opportunities for the future.
Watch the Network event here with the presentations available here.
Primary School Co-ordinators on Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing
London Sport has created a new pilot online workshop to help primary teachers who are co-ordinators for health education in the curriculum. The workshop will help co-ordinators support their fellow teachers teach the new curriculum.
For information contact David.
Workforce Planning Support
We believe a motivated and competent workforce is crucial for helping Londoners be active and since 2019 we have been supporting partners to facilitate the creation of sport and physical activity workforce plan for their organisation or area.
If you would like to embark on a sport and physical activity workforce plan for your organisation or location, please get in touch.
We can offer the following free support:
- Resources to help your understanding of the latest workforce issues.
- A planning template to guide you through a process to help you decide your workforce priorities.
- Practical one-to-one support to guide you through the process.
- Signposting to any available funding opportunities
Please get in touch if you would like to access any of the above, or discuss any workforce planning issues you’re facing.
Meet the Team
David Reader is our Specialist Advisor for Workforce with extensive strategic and operational experience gained with not-for-profit organisations within the field of sport management.
David is a graduate of Birkbeck, University of London with an MSc in Sport Management and, prior to London Sport worked as Head of Development with Archery GB.
