ReTrain to ReTain: New funding available for coaches

As part of its Great Coaching Comeback campaign, UK Coaching in partnership with CIMSPA and EMDUK, has launched a new initiative ReTrain to ReTain, funded by Sport England.

The fully funded scheme aims to provide skills, training, and targeted support for 25,000 volunteer coaches, as well as 25,000 sport and activity professionals, who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Basketball England’s Coaching Delivery Manager Brian Aldred, said:

“Like many sports, the pandemic brought basketball to halt and that had a significant impact on our coaching workforce, with people’s well-being and livelihoods negatively affected.

“Basketball has the power to change lives, but that can only happen if our coaches feel supported, upskilled and on top of their game as they return to coaching. I implore any basketball coaches out there, whether you volunteer or are paid, to see if you can benefit from this new funding.”

Support available for volunteer coaches is for those who live in an area of economic deprivation or who coach under-represented groups.

Benefits from the initiative include access to UK Coaching’s learning and development platform – ukcoaching.org, with online training courses and resources to help coaches develop their coaching skills and provide them with the minimum requirements to return to coaching.   

This includes fully-funded access to:

  • a subscription to UK Coaching Club (worth £24 per year)
  • Renewal: Safeguarding & Protecting Children (Digital Kids option) eLearning
  • Mental Health Awareness for Sport & Physical Activity+ eLearning
  • St John Ambulance First Aid Digital Refresher eLearning

Applications are open until 31 March, 2022, and support will be provided to the first 25,000 successfully eligible applicants.

The ReTrain to ReTain programme includes wide-ranging support for 25,000 paid and self-employed coaches, fitness professionals, and employers.