futures
futures FEBRUARY 2009
4 FOCUS
Get in touch:
Register of Exercise Professionals
(REPs)
8-10 Crown Hill, Croydon, Surrey CR0 1RZ
Tel: 020 8686 6464
www.exerciseregister.org
BUNAC
Dept. PR1, BUNAC, 16 Bowling Green
Lane, London EC1R 0QH
Tel: 020 7251 3472
www.bunac.org
Department for Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS)
2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH
Tel: 020 7211 6200
www.culture.gov.uk
English Federation of Disability Sport
(EFDS)
Manchester Metropolitan University,
Alsager Campus, Hassall Road, Alsager,
Stoke on Trent ST7 2HL
Tel: 0161 247 5294
www.efds.net
Fitness Industry Association (FIA)
3rd Floor, Castlewood House, 77-91 New
Oxford Street, London WC1A 1PX
Tel: 0844 555 2192
www.fia.org.uk/
Institute of Sport and Recreation
Management (ISRM)
Sir John Beckwith Centre for Sport,
Loughborough University, Loughborough,
Leics LE11 3TU
Tel: 01509 226 474
www.isrm.co.uk
Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure
(ISPAL)
Abbey House, 1650 Arlington Business
Park, Theale, Reading RG7 4SA
Tel: 0844 4180077
www.ispal.org.uk
PGL Adventure UK
Alton Court, Penyard Lane, Ross-on-Wye,
Herts HR9 5GL
Tel: 08700 551 551
www.pgl.co.uk
SkillsActive - The Sector Skills Council
for Active Leisure and Learning
Castlewood House, 77-91 New Oxford
Street, London WC1A 1PX
Tel: 020 7632 2000
www.skillsactive.com
Sport England
3rd Floor, Victoria House, Bloomsbury
Square, London WC1B 4SE
Tel: 020 7273 1551
www.sportengland.org
Sports Coach UK
114 Cardigan Road, Headingley, Leeds LS6
3BJ
Tel: 0113 274 4802
www.sportscoachuk.org
UK Sport
40 Bernard Street, London WC1N 1ST
Tel: 020 7211 5100
www.uksport.gov.uk
The British Association of Sport and
Exercise Sciences (BASES)
Rooms G07 and G08, Leeds Metropolitan
University, Carnegie Faculty of Sport and
Education, Fairfax Hall, Headingley
Campus, Beckett Park, Leeds LS6 3QS
Tel: 0113 2836162
www.bases.org.uk
Sports development officers
S
PORTS development officers aim to
improve access to and develop more
public interest in sport and physical
activity.
They organise sporting-related projects,
programmes, information and training for
both the competitive and leisure user in all
sections of society in order to increase
levels of participation.
The role involves working in partnership
with a wide range of organisations to use
local resources and build on any regional or
national initiatives.
The nature of the role can vary and may
focus on promoting sport and health in
general, promoting a specific sport or
developing the awareness of disability
within sport.
The variety of activities that a sports
development officer could become involved
with includes:
identifying sport, recreation and
health initiatives
liaising with clubs, schools, professional
and sports governing bodies
developing a range of partnerships to
enhance provision and support
identifying potential opportunities for
external funding
overseeing strategic planning and
implementation
co-ordinating and delivering relevant
activities and events
employing and training coaches and
volunteer staff
evaluating and monitoring activities
using performance indicators
maintaining records and producing
written reports
attending local, regional and national
meetings, seminars and conferences
promoting events
managing resources and a budget
maintaining links with county, regional
and national sporting representatives
SALARY AND CONDITIONS
THE range of typical starting salaries for
assistant sports development officer begin
from around �12,900 to �16,700; sports
development offices earn �17,922 to
�23,000 and specialist sports development
officer can make from �20,833 to �22,289.
A sports development manager can earn
up to �40,000.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
This career is open to all graduates and
diploma-holders, but the following subjects
may increase your chances:
sports science/studies
leisure studies
health and exercise sciences
physical education
recreation/leisure management
business/management
Entry without a degree or HND is
possible. In this case, coaching
qualifications and related work experience
may increase your chances.
Pre-entry work experience in community,
sport, school or voluntary organisations is
essential.
Potential candidates will need to be:
able to make decisions under pressure
self-motivated and the ability to
motivate others
have excellent communication skills,
both written and oral, to communicate
effectively with all sections of the
community
have excellent organisation,
administration and IT skills
a practical commitment to sport
Employers often request an enhanced
criminal record disclosure as part of their
conditions of service.
Gain as much experience as possible
through undertaking voluntary or paid
work in coaching and organising sports
activities and holiday programmes.
Competition for jobs can be tough �
networking and making contacts within the
sports development sector through work
experience will improve your chances.
TRAINING
SPORT England, which has regional training
units, and SkillsActive � The Sector Skills
Council for Active Leisure and Learning
offer training courses and qualifications,
including NVQs, within the sports
development sector.
The National Association for Sports
Development provides information on the
professionalism of sports development staff
in-line with the government strategy, A
Sporting Future for All.
Training is also available through Sports
Coach UK, which offers, for example, high
performance coaching workshops.
The Institute of Sport, Parks and Leisure
(ISPAL) has a continuing professional
development structure, which helps
members keep up to date with their
training and the latest developments in
their field.
Some universities offer continual
professional development through
Learning at Work, a modular
distance-learning package.
TARGET PRACTICE: Sports development officers aim to help others develop their interest in sport. Here Kimberly Wilson, centre, the sports
development officer for Copeland, is seen teaching youngsters the basics of basketball Mike McKenzie
Contacts
in sport
careers

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 9Page 10Page 11Page 12Page 13Page 14Page 15Page 16Page 17Page 18Page 19Page 20 Produced by PageSuite