Active Black Country and Black Country LEP launch the UK’s first Sport and Physical Activity Sector Skills Plan

The Sector Skills Plan was launched as part of ‘The Future of Sport: Employment, Skills and Apprenticeships Conference’ at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton organised by Active Black Country and Why Sport and sponsored by Creative Sport and Leisure in order to debate the issues at the heart of the Sector Skills Plan.

 

The Sector Skills Plan has been developed following significant consultation with over 100 sector employers, organisations and sports and physical activity providers to incorporate the breadth, range and scope of a variety of roles including the professional workforce and volunteers.

 

Through this consultation the Sector Skills Plan has:

 

This insight has enabled the Active Black Country team to make seven headline recommendations to develop a workforce that is customer centric, inclusive and equipped with the right skills to initiate meaningful behaviour change and realise wider health and socio economic benefits.

Deborah Williams, Chair of the Active Black Country Board said: "The Sector Skills Plan has been produced at a key time for the Black Country as we aim to increase levels of physical activity and economic growth in the area covering Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. In the Black Country we have gained valuable insight into the important role local people play in motivating people to take part and in an area which has one of the lowest numbers of individuals taking part in Sport and Physical Activity we need to develop a workforce capable of engaging and motivating local communities.”

Jacqui Oatley MBE, Future of Sport Conference Chair said: "The Sector Skills Plan is the first of its kind in the UK, made here in the Black Country and provides an insight into the workforce needs of the sector. The plan considers both the sport and economic context by determining the supply and demand for skills in the sector. I am delighted to be part of the team launching the plan and look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on our sector.”

 

Black Country Consortium is contracted by Sport England to provide a set of core services to underpin the local delivery of National Governing Body (NGB) Whole Sport Plans and support the achievement of NGB and Sport England targets as the County Sports Partnership, reporting to its Active Black Country Board.