Outline of new women into coaching programme being delivered in the South East by seven County Sports Partnerships.

2. • Session overview
– Why is there a need for Project 500?
– How did Project 500 come about?
– Who is involved with Project 500?
– What is Project 500?
– What does the delivery of Project 500
look like?
– Q & A

3. • Why Project 500?
- Women are underrepresented in coaching (31% of
coaches, of which only 18% hold a qualification)
- Women offer different life and leadership qualities
- Women understand the psychological and social
pressures female athletes and participants experience

4. • Why Project 500?
- The majority of high-profile are male
- Increasing the number of female coaches provides role
models for female participants
- Sport England Youth and Community strategy i.e.
engaging a more diverse population in sport

5. • How did Project 500 come about?
- One year pilot programme established in Hampshire
• Who is involved in Project 500?
- Seven CSPs from across the South East
- sports coach UK
- Sport England
- Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF)
- National Governing Bodies of Sport

6. • What is Project 500?
- Launched on International Women’s day to address the
imbalance of females in coaching
- A two-year project (April 2013-March 2015)
- Looks to achieve four main objectives

7. • Project 500 Objectives
1. Recruit, develop, deploy and/or retain 500 female
coaches across the South East between April 2013 and
March 2015
2. Establish a culture of support for female coaches
including mentoring, co-coaching, communities of
learning and coach observations to underpin coach
development and deployment
3. Raise the profile of females in coaching through the
development of a “women’s coaching network”
4. Create clear guidelines and provide a body of evidence
to encourage the roll out of this project nationally from
April 2015 “Project 5000”

8. • Benefits to an NGB
- A more fit-for-purpose and diverse workforce to drive female
participation at all levels i.e. supporting NGB products and
programmes
- Profile, reward and recognition of your female coaches
- Promote role models by recruiting local ambassadors
- Dedicated on-line presence to promote and recognise local
coaches
- Access to forums, workshops and events for your female coaches
- Access to local mentoring programmes & other support for your
coaches including coach observation sessions and communities of
practice

9. • NGB involvement
- Endorsement; help raise awareness within specific sporting
communities
- Use of NGB branding and logos
- Link programmes, including NGB Scholarships, marketing and
local county workforce plans to the project
- Where possible support with coach education e.g. provide
tutors, discounted resources, flexibility to deliver local courses
where there is a clear need
- Access to ambassadors from sports, e.g. to facilitate coaching
forums targeted at local female coaches.

10. • What does the delivery look like?
- County Sports Partnership offer
- Practical examples of working with NGBs

12. -Presented to ECB National and Regional Team at Lords
-For each County in the South East the ECB name a Project
manager to lead Project 500 with the County Coaching Lead
-County delivery plans are now being developed between the ECB
and CSPs
-Project 500 will be used to mainly support Chance to Shine
Coaches and Coaches on the Talent Pathway
-Charlotte Edwards & Claire Connor ambassadors

13. -Sign off agreed nationally by the RFU
-Project 500 supported and managed by Catherine Spencer,
former England Captain and World Cup finalist
-The RFU have highlighted a potential issue with progressing
female coaches
-sports coach UK to survey 160 female coaches that undertook
the Rugby Ready qualification
-Survey also will go out nationally to inform future support
needs for female coaches.
-Recruiting a number of ambassadors

14. “It’s a real privilege for England Handball to have been
approached to be a part of Project 500 and to have been involved
right from its inception. It is our belief that not enough is being
done to engage young women and girls in coaching and leadership
pathways in England, and it’s an honour to be working with a
special group of people who want to change that.”
Liam McCarthy, Coaching Development Manager
England Handball

15. “This is a fantastic opportunity to both support the development of
female coaches in sport and recognise and celebrate their
achievements. As a largely female dominated sport we at England
Netball understand the importance of developing female coaches
as role models for our participants and future athletes and are
proud supporters of this project.”
Amy Willis, Coaching Development Manager
England Netball

16. “EMDP are delighted to be part of this innovative project. As the
national governing body for exercise, movement and dance we
have a predominantly female workforce and have the added value
of being a very attractive option for women wishing to both
participate and coach. We look forward to working with all
partners to increase opportunities for women across the south
east.”
Emma Forward, Development Director
Exercise Movement and Dance Partnership

18. • Challenges & risk factors
– ‘call to action’ or project
– no new resource
– evidencing impact
– data collection
– managing the project
– managing expectations

19. Q & A

20. • Contact for further information:
CJ Lee, Sport Hampshire and IOW
Coaching Development Manager
cj.lee@hants.gov.uk
01962 847523
Clare Fallis, sports coach UK
Coaching Network Manager
Cfallis@sportscoachuk.org
07595 779 237