Workforce Development Update

Edition 3: 19 December 2007

Welcome to our final WFD update for 2007.
 
Firstly we were delighted that two coaches from Swimming and Diving collected prestigious awards from Sports Coach UK this week at a special ceremony attended by members of WFD.  Diving coach Charly Tomkys and swimming coach Ian Armiger were named in the annual Sports Coach UK Coaching Awards, which recognise coaching excellence. Both coaches attended the national ceremony where they met HRH The Princess Royal.  Southampton based coach Charly Tomkys is winner of the coveted Young Coach of the Year award, which is open to both male and female coaches aged under 25 years in any sport in the UK.  Director of Swimming at Loughborough University Ian Armiger was rewarded for his contribution to the sport by winning the Mussabini medal, awarded to individuals that have made a significant contribution to the development and management of coaching and individual coaches in the UK.
The first meeting of 'Women in High Performance Sport' took place last week at Bisham Abbey to put together a bespoke learning programme for the next 3 years.  It was a successful session where everyone got to know each other and we were able to identify gaps in their knowledge, the commonalities and any specific sub groups resulting from that.  The next steps are to construct the learning programme for the sub groups.
 
A review of the current licensing programme for teachers and coaches is going out for consultation this week to internal staff and members of the wider swimming community.  We hope to release the new scheme in the New Year.
 
The AASE athletes who started the programme in October will be attending their first regional camps on 21st & 22nd December.  We are now advertising for a Talent Identification & Development Officer for Water Polo to work on AASE with the Grantham Academy Players and implement development programmes across the Midlands and Southern Regions.  We are also busy preparing for our first Ofsted Inspection, which will be taking place in March/April 2008.

We have been receiving queries regarding the current round of tutor training, for which the cut off date for applications has now passed. Please note that for those who have an interest in training as a tutor to deliver ASA courses they should send a copy of their CV with any supporting information and contact details to sam.stark@swimming.org and the application will be held on file until we begin a new round of tutor training. This is not likely to be until late 2008 at the earliest and we will make contact with all those expressing an interest when appropriate.

The Teachers & Coaches section of the website has been reviewed and updated this week: click to see the new sections for Candidate Documentation and Organiser Documentation (which includes all of the new Assessment packs for Levels 1 & 2) and Awarding Body. Visitors who are new to teaching and coaching have their own area of the site for guidance notes, and we also now have a 'Special Offers' section accessed from the 'Find a course' page.

Ian Freeman delivered the Aquatic Organiser Presenter training to delegates in Newcastle who are now all set to support the Step into Sport work.  The delegates had varied backgrounds from ASA Level 2 Teachers/Coaches to Swimming Development Officers and PE teachers, university students and a head coach of a club. 

It only remains now for me to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year on behalf of everyone in Workforce Development, and to thank everyone who has supported our work this year. See you in 2008!

If you would like future editions of this update emailed straight to you as soon as they become available, please send your contact details to claire.freeman@swimming.org

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