Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 2 | Page 11

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 2
Another key area of work identified in the Coaching
Plan for England was improving the standard of
coaching. In this area two strategic approaches
were suggested:
1) To foster an improvement culture
This article presents the key findings from the
evaluation of the programme, particularly focusing
on the elements of the programme that participants
highlighted as impactful, in terms of their
development as a coach. These findings could be
of interest to organisations with responsibility for
coach development.
2) To transfer learning into practice
The Coaching Plan for England emphasised the
need for long term coach development models
that include formal training opportunities
alongside mentoring support, the establishment
of communities of practice to encourage peer
support, and digital learning and development.
Plans to change the way that coaches are assessed
were also mooted, with a suggested shift towards
direct assessment in a delivery context, rather than
assessment with peers on a training course.
The Coach Mate Connectors Programme
The Coach Mate Connectors Programme was
developed by Street Games to test new ways of
engaging volunteers and coaches in long term
developmental opportunities. The programme
was delivered in areas with high levels of social
deprivation and aimed to attract a more diverse
coaching and volunteer workforce. Coach Mate
Connectors was targeted primarily at young
volunteers and coaches aged 16-25 who were
at various stages of their coaching journey. They
were grouped as follows: ‘newbie’, ‘done a little
and on the ladder’, ‘working towards or doing
a qualification’, and ‘the ongoing journey’. This
was important, as the Coach Mate Connectors
Programme recognised that the developmental
requirements are likely to vary across different
stages of the coaching journey.
The ‘connectors’ in the project were locally trusted
coach developers, who worked in the West Midlands
network. Each connector worked with a cluster of
individuals that were based locally to them with the
aim of forging a positive working relationship and
providing support at each stage of the
coaching journey.
In order to tackle the common barriers that were
identified in the Coaching Plan for England, the
support offered through the programme was local to
the volunteers and the coaches, and it incorporated
formal and informal learning with self-reflection, as
well as digital support to develop ongoing formative
learning. The programme was developed and piloted
in the West Midlands during 2016-2017.
Aims of the Coach Mate Connectors Programme
The key aims of the programme were:
• To develop an inclusive and long term model
of coach development that provides a positive
coaching experience for young coaches and
volunteers in areas of deprivation.
• To break down barriers to accessing
qualifications through offering local training
and support.
• To use one-to-one mentoring to help coaches
build reflection and resilience.
• To utilise digital support individually and
in clusters.
• To enhance the capability of the professional
coaching workforce.
Evaluation
The Coach Mate Connectors Programme was
independently evaluated by the University of
Wolverhampton. Thirty coaches involved in the
scheme in the Midlands area were contacted via
email or over the phone. Of those, fourteen agreed
to be interviewed for the research (male n= 8,
female n= 6, white n=8, BAME n= 6 and disability
n=2). Semi-structured interviews were used to
collect rich qualitative data from the coaches
about their experiences and the support they have
received from the programme. All of the coaches
had engaged in the programme during a six-to-
twelve month period in 2016-17.
Results
Getting started
Coaches reported that local opportunities were
important, particularly when getting started.
Locating training and support in areas and venues
that the coaches were familiar with, and that they
could access easily, removed a barrier to their
involvement. Coaches referred to their locality as
being “safe”, accessible, familiar, and within their
comfort zone. For many of the coaches involved,
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