Initiative Increasing Coach Numbers

A partnership between sports coach UK and the John Lewis Partnership is contributing to Government targets of increasing the number of skilled, active and qualified coaches in the UK at all levels.

The Partner Coaching Programme is an innovative initiative to train up to 1000 Partners (employees) of the John Lewis Partnership as coaches by the Summer of 2012.

Delegates at the 2010 UK Coaching Summit heard that the programme also:

• Gives Partners at the John Lewis Partnership the opportunity to become active, qualified coaches, with new skills which can be used in the community.
• Allows Partners to gain transferable coaching skills that can be applied in the workplace.

This is the first time an organisation the size of the John Lewis Partnership has made such a significant investment in their employees to become sports coaches across a range of sports in the UK.

The programme has been a great success and highlighted how the commercial sector can contribute to a lack of volunteer coaches, helping to increase and sustain sports participation.

The initiative is a key element of a three-raft sporting initiative at the John Lewis Partnership called Partners in Sport.

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Press Officer (Branches & Retail Development) at John Lewis Partnership Carly Taylor: Tel 0207 592 5459; e-mail Carly_Taylor@JohnLewis.co.ukCommunications Manager at sports coach UK

James Hook: Tel 0113 2043285; Mob 07980 584 624; e-mail jhook@sportscoachuk.org

Notes to Editor

Details of the three key strands of Partners in Sport are as follows: 

Discovering Sport – Branch Bids This is open to all Partners and aims to encourage them to get together and take up a sport or activity that promotes a healthy lifestyle. There are three levels of funding and the types of activities that have already taken place include; the 3 Peaks Challenge, Dragon Boat Racing, set up of football teams, yoga classes and a Family Sports Day.

Coaching in Sport – Partner Coaching Programme Developed in conjunction with sports coach UK, the Partner Coaching Programme will help up to 1,000 Partners become qualified coaches in a mainstream sport by the summer of 2012. The Programme  provides Partners with the  opportunity and support to gain a recognised coaching qualification and signposting to an appropriate placement in the local community.  

Succeeding in Sport – Supporting Competitive Partners in Sport is providing material support and advice for Partners or their family members who are serious about competing in sport, nationally or internationally, in one of the Olympic Sports.

The John Lewis Partnership - The John Lewis Partnership operates 29 John Lewis shops across the UK (28 department stores and one John Lewis at home), johnlewis.com, 228 Waitrose supermarkets and Greenbee.com, a direct services company. The business has an annual turnover of over £7.4bn. It is the UK's largest example of worker co-ownership where all 70,000 staff are Partners in the business.

Partners are currently accessing coach education and development opportunities in the following sports: Athletics; Cricket; Football; Swimming; Triathlon; Rugby; Hockey; Netball, as well as generic skills in the area of coaching children. 

sports coach UK is the central agency for coaching. The vision of the organisation is UK coaching excellence enabling all children, players and athletes to follow their dreams, have fun and fulfil their potential. To realise this vision sports coach UK supports UK partners to recruit, develop and retain coaches to achieve partners’ participation and performance goals (in the context of the UK Coaching Framework).

The 2010 UK Coaching Summit is co-hosted by sports coach UK and Sport Wales. The Summit is an annual event that provides key stakeholders with the opportunity to review progress in coaching and coach development over the past 12 months, share best practice, reaffirm objectives and commitments, and to network with colleagues from other organisations.