East-links: Leading the Field
The East-links: Leading the Field project began in April 2009 in the East of England, offering fully funded training courses for individuals employed or regularly volunteering in the sport and active leisure sector. Funded by the European Social Fund through the former Regional Learning and Skills Council now the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), Leading the Field is one of the most comprehensive education and training projects in the country for this sector.
Prospects4Sport was commissioned by the Association of Colleges in the East Region (ACER) to evaluate the impact of the project. The brief was to assess how well the project performed against its objectives, and to develop good practice case studies, recommendations and learning points for the future.
The method used to undertake the evaluation and demonstrate the impact of the project involved:
• consultation with Sub Regional Leads (County Sports Partnerships & lead Colleges)
• telephone consultation/email survey with more than 40 learners from across the region i.e. individuals that were funded through the courses
• telephone consultation with a sample of NGBs from across the region
• telephone consultation with employers and clubs that put staff/members through a range of courses
• a review of data from learner evaluation questionnaires completed by learners at the end of each course
• discussions with ACER and Skills Active.
As a result of the Leading the Field, more than 1,500 individuals employed or volunteering in the sport and leisure sector benefitted from free training courses leading to SkillsActive recognised qualifications in Coaching, Officiating
Coach Tutoring, Health and Fitness, Facility Management / Operation and Community Sport.
The report demonstrated that the project not only had a significant impact on individuals, employers, clubs and NGBs, but had impacted positively on the region and sector as a whole. In addition to the evaluation report, Prospects4Sport produced a short summary document illustrating the impact of the project using a range of case studies and quotes from those involved.
