Project 500 aims to help address the imbalance of female to male coaches by recruiting, developing, deploying and retaining 500 female coaches. Research from sports coach UK shows that just 30% of sports coaches are female and of newly qualified coaches each year, only 17% are women. We can change that!
Based on the premise that many women are already coaching in their everyday lives, Project 500 aims to encourage them to use their skills in sport and physical activity. Whether a parent, grandparent, nurse, office manager, teacher or even student mentor, women help others to learn new skills, develop and grow as people. These are all skills that coaches, activators and leaders need to make sport a worthwhile and meaningful experience for their participants.
By recognising the connection between the existing skills women already have and how they can be transferred to sports coaching, we will increase the diversity of the coaching workforce and offer more choice to our participants.
Project 500 is a regional initiative across the South East of England, developed and delivered by seven Active Partnerships. The project has been active since 2013 and aims to recruit, develop and retain more women in coaching.
