Licensing for coaches and officials: one year on

October signified one year since the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs) assumed responsibility for coach and officials licensing, and England Athletics has marked the anniversary by issuing progress reports and future plans for both areas of work.

Over the past 12 months, England Athletics has worked collaboratively with the other HCAFs to ensure co-ordinated, aligned progress and a positive experience for coaches and officials.

Chris Mallender, Workforce Development Manager for England Athletics, explains:

“In the year since we took on responsibility for coach and officials education and licensing, we’ve worked hard to ensure that delivery remains consistent and of a high quality, but also to identify the areas in which our systems and process can be upgraded to enhance coach and officials’ experience.

“We’re delighted to be able to list a number of significant steps forward that we have taken, but also want to underline our commitment to continuously reviewing and improving our services.

"As an example, we initiated a coaching review over the summer and will release the findings and recommendations early next year. We fully intend these will shape our focus and priorities going forward, allowing us to build on the success we’ve seen so far whilst tackling some areas that are in need of modernisation and change."

Coach education successes so far

• An increase to just over 20,000 licensed leaders and coaches in England.
• Over 400 coach education courses delivered to well over 4,000 leaders and coaches in the last 12 months.
• We have added to our team of expert tutors and developed a new UK-wide quality assurance and verification process in conjunction with all HCAFs.
• We have developed a digital licence solution, which will be introduced in early 2025. This – alongside the personal licence checker, which has already been introduced – will deliver much-needed modernisations to the system of coach licensing.

England Athletics Chief Executive Chris Jones, who chairs the Coach Education Management Group, said:

"A year into this work, we are pleased with our progress so far, but know we have much more to do. Projects such as this take time to get right, and as such we are determined to continue listening to and collaborating with our Regional Councils and membership to shape the future of coach education and non-qualification development."

Official education successes so far

• An increase to just under 4000 licenced officials at levels 1-3 in England.

• The delivery of over 150 officials' education courses to well over 800 officials over the last 12 months.
• The appointment of a new independent Chair of the Officials' Education Management Group - Coreen Beckford.
• The introduction and ongoing review of changes which make it easier for newly-trained officials to become licensed and feel part of the officiating community.
• The forthcoming introduction (in early 2025) of a digital licence solution, to build on the existing personal licence checker for coaches and leaders.

Coreen Beckford, who chairs the Officials' Education Management Group, said:

"It is wonderful to be a part of the HCAF’s mission to build capacity in the officiating system. Through the Official’s Education Management Group, the Home Countries are taking a number of positive steps on the road towards transforming and modernising learning and development for officials at Levels 1-3."

"In order to challenge conventional linear models and create a new normal, HCAFs must decouple past traditions from familiar practices by refocusing efforts to redesign the courses of the future, as well as rethinking the services and communication models which deliver these courses to new and existing officials."

"Athletics and running is proudly rooted in volunteer contributions and I welcome HCAF-led action towards a place where the recruitment and retention of officials can be better sign-posted, better balanced and meet the needs of a new generation of official whilst keeping in touch with the heritage and traditions of the sport."

Looking ahead to 2025

We plan to

• Introduce a digital licence solution, to build on the existing personal licence checker for coaches and leaders.
• Continue our review into the content of mandatory training for officials, which will see changes come into effect from April 2025.
• Focus on the progression of officials through the levels, especially from Levels 1 to 2, based on feedback from competition providers.
• Introduce an in-person assessment for coaching qualifications; to address the low conversion rates we are seeing through the remote assessment route, and explore how we can make better use of the combined course offer which is increasing in demand.
• Continue to deliver our coach education course schedule to build coaching capacity in club. We will make changes to course delivery methods, enhance course and licensing communications and make some changes to systems used for course reviews and assessments, all with the goal of improving user experience and making the process of completing our courses easier.
• Look closely at licensing trends and areas where we can improve the retention of both coaches and officials. This will gain a deeper understanding of why numbers of both are starting to plateau and will allow us to put measures in place to reverse this trend.

Chris Jones noted:

"There are still gaps to be filled, and some courses still need to change. In making these introductions and changes, we need to ensure that we are developing solutions which meet the needs of those volunteering their time. Technology and other factors mean that this needs to be a very different, more flexible offering than it has been in the past, and this is something we need to get right."

"With this future work in mind, I have been particularly encouraged by the collaborative approach embraced by all four HCAFs, as we look to implement effective solutions for the benefit of the sport as a whole."