The
Government is investing more than £25m over the next three years to create
3,000 full-time, qualified community coaches to help develop sports skills
across the country.
For
the first-time, nationally recognised qualifications will be established to
give coaches a professional career structure. Coaches will be deployed locally
following a community-based assessment of the local need for coaching
expertise.
A
£6m scholarship fund is being set up to give talented youth access to the best
facilities, coaching and support.
Secretary
of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell said a strong network of
"dedicated, professional, full-time coaches" is needed.
"For
those employed in coaching at higher levels," she said, "the role
will now have the recognition and career structure it deserves – a system that
recognises coaching as a profession, with accredited qualifications and a real
career development structure."
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"We
are talking to Sport England, UK Sport and others about how we can best achieve
sporting excellence. And as with all the money announced in the chancellor’s
spending review, money will follow reform and modernisation."
