Sports Leaders UK Outreach Centres

Sports Leaders UK has 4,500 Approved Assessment Centres (AACs) across the UK. In 2009/10 over 200,000 people enrolled on a course. Since the inception of the Sports Leaders UK awards and qualifications in the early 1980s, the landscape in which sports leadership training is provided has changed dramatically. In 2008, the vast majority of deliverers are mainstream educational institutions. In stark contrast to the earliest courses delivered by voluntary sports organisations, the reasons for providing sports leadership training now reflect a growing trend in personal and social education.

Sports Leaders UK exists to 'inspire people and communities through leadership qualifications in sport'. The successes in the educational sector, whilst important, do not directly address the organisation's wider aims of inspiring communities.

Sports Leaders UK is committed to open access for all to sports leadership training. Through creating a network of Outreach Centres, Sports Leaders UK will ensure that every community will have a local sports leadership champion, offering open access for all to sports leadership training.

What is an Outreach Centre?

A centre that exists to provide opportunities for the whole community. Situated in the heart of its community, it will offer a wide range of sports leadership training opportunities to all. They will be able to react to local demand, and will act as the focal point for sports leadership in the region. Consequently, no two centres will look exactly the same, as the range of services offered will reflect local need. They will be non-elitist and will actively encourage people from all backgrounds to engage in sports leadership training and deployment.

Acting as a hub

These centres play a pivotal role in the local sporting environment, serving a wide range of stakeholders. They will serve:

• local candidates from the whole community, both potential and existing.
• agencies that need volunteers.
• other local deliverers of sports leadership qualifications.
• County Sports Partnerships who seek to deploy Sports Leaders.
• the wider community by offering vocational education to all.