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Gift vouchers for friends and family

Looking to buy the last few presents for friends and family this Christmas? Why not get them a gift voucher for one of our coaching or officiating courses?

Whether you’re shopping for a current volunteer who is looking to progress along the pathway, or someone who is notoriously difficult to buy presents for but has a love of athletics, our range of courses are sure to capture interest.

There are several reasons why course vouchers make such good presents:

  • You don’t have to worry about it arriving in the post on time.
  • The receiver can choose a course that interests them.
  • It’s a fantastic CPD opportunity for those in the work environment and for GCSE, A-Level, College or University students.
  • The courses can be booked all year round so the recipient can pick a time and place that’s convenient for them.

To buy a gift voucher:

  1. Login to Athletics Hub.
  2. Click on the plus button next to the Voucher link.
  3. Click ‘Buy Voucher’.
  4. Select the type of voucher and organisation you wish to purchase from.
  5. Select the course you want to book and choose whether you are purchasing vouchers at an affiliated or non-affiliated rate. If you are purchasing a voucher for a specific amount, you will be asked to enter the value.
  6. To add more vouchers, repeat the process above. If you are ready to checkout, click on the trolley symbol at the top of the page.
  7. If you are paying by card, your vouchers will be released straight away. If you are paying by invoice, an invoice will be raised and sent out. Vouchers will not be released until payment has been received.

The pathway

For those of you who may be new to the world of coaching and officiating, here is a whistle-stop tour of how they both work:

Coaching

There are two main journeys for those looking to become a coach: track & field and off track. The track & field journey is aimed at anyone looking to support with sessions using an athletics track.  This includes endurance events from 800m-10km. For those aged 14-18, there is an opportunity to get a taste for coaching through our leading athletics certificate.

Coaching Assistant is the entry level qualification and the first step on the pathway. The next qualification is Athletics Coach which allows you to take sessions independently. For those looking to progress further, event group level qualifications are available. For a more detailed explanation, see the infographic below:

Track and field coaching pathway

The off track qualification is for individuals who wish to work in a purely non-track based environment. The entry level qualification here is Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF). The next step on the pathway is Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) which, as was the case with the track & field pathway, can be followed up with an event group level qualification, in this case endurance. For a more detailed explanation, see the infographic below:

Off-track coaching pathway

Officiating

As is the case with coaching, there is both a track & field and an endurance pathway for officiating. There are four levels of officiating. To become a Level 1 Official, you are required to attend a course in your chosen discipline. You are also required to complete a health & safety online module, a safeguarding online module and four officiating experiences. To complete Level 2 and 3, more experiences are required as well as positive reports and evidence of self-reflection. The Level 4 officiating qualification is conducted by UKA.  For a more detailed explanation, see the webpages below:

Season’s greetings

On behalf of England Athletics, we wish you a very happy festive period and we look forward to welcoming your friends and family to England Athletics coaching and officiating in the near future.

Coaching