Play Their Way campaign launched to transform children's coaching
Activity Alliance is proud to be part of the Children’s Coaching Collaborative (CCC) and the Play Their Way movement and campaign which officially launched today.
The campaign aims to transform the way children and young people are coached in sport and physical activity, prioritising their rights, needs and enjoyment in a ‘child-first’ approach to help increase activity levels. It is funded by Sport England and The National Lottery and is led by the 17 partner organisations that make up the CCC.
Sport England’s latest Active Lives Children survey found that less than half (47%) of children who regularly exercise strongly agree that they enjoy taking part in sport and physical activity, down from the pre-pandemic level of 51%. The same survey showed that more than half (53%) do not get enough exercise.
Enjoyment is one of the biggest motivators for children and young people to get active, which is why Play Their Way is dedicated to ensuring children have the best possible experience in sport and activity through the people who know them best – their coaches.
A ‘child-first’ approach to coaching is about championing every child’s voice, choice and journey in sport and physical activity. The Play Their Way campaign aims to level the playing field by putting children first and helping them enjoy being active in their own way, where great coaching can inspire a child to stay active for life.
The campaign will work with England’s 2.6 million coaches to build a grassroots movement aimed at increasing and improving child-first coaching in communities across the nation.
Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive at Sport England, said:
"Positive experiences for children and young people are at the heart of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy – and child-first coaching is an important part of this.
"Our research tells us that for children, ‘fun’ is the primary reason for taking part in sport and activity. They will want to take part if they enjoy it. It’s vital that we put fun and enjoyment at the centre of sport and activity, and give our children and young people the chance to shape their sporting experiences to boost activity levels.
"We look forward to working with our partners and supporting the amazing coaches across the UK. We want to give all children the chance to have their say – and play their way."
Heather Douglas, Head of Coaching and Policy at UK Coaching, added:
"Coaches play such an important role in the development of children and young people’s lives, often in difficult circumstances, and can have a profound effect on the positive experiences they have in sport and physical activity.
"We know that child-first coaching and giving children a choice and a voice in the way they are coached works, and that many of our coaches are out there doing this already. This campaign is about helping more coaches do more of this and through Play Their Way we will be providing them with resources and support to help transform the way our children and young people are coached.
"Our goal is for all children and young people, regardless of age, background or ability, to have a voice, choice and decide their journey when participating in sport and physical activity, so they develop a genuine and lifelong love for being active."
Click here to learn more about the Play Their Way campaign, access resources, and sign up to be part of the movement.
