Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 1 | Page 28

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
The “Person Like Me”
Approach to Engaging a
Diverse Coach Workforce
Pete Forster
Sport Nottinghamshire
Abstract
This article presents the key findings from the
evaluation of A Person Like Me, designed by Sport
Nottinghamshire to engage and upskill a new coach
workforce that was reflective of the population, to
enable them to start delivering physical activity
sessions within their local communities. The project
was funded by Sport England to develop new
learning to test some of the key principles that would
later form part of the Coaching Plan for England.
Two training programmes were developed: START,
a leadership-development programme, focused
specifically on participants and their experiences;
and Mums’ Movement, a training programme
targeting women with children. An independent
evaluation was conducted which revealed that
the project was successful in developing new,
innovative delivery methods that gave participants
the appropriate skills and tools to start delivering
physical activities in their communities. Seventy
participants were engaged in the programme over
the duration of the project and their feedback was
overwhelmingly positive. The majority of participants
28
reported that their confidence and motivation had
increased following participation in the project
and had become more physically active as a result.
The article presents five key success factors of the
programme: 1) the development of a
person-centred training programme;
2) the importance
of working cooperatively
with partners; 3) work
with participants in
their own environment;
4) create branding and
marketing material
that is appropriate to
the target population;
and 5) ensuring there
is a key person in the
community who can
provide structure and
ongoing support after
the project ends.