The list of black footballers who have contributed significantly to English football history is extensive. The number of those who have successfully progressed into Coaching and Management however has been minimal.
With the launch of COACH in August 2011, a short film that promotes coaching as a career for the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community (BAME), it is hoped this will change.
The FA along with The Premier League, Football League, Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and League Managers Association (LMA) are inviting applicants to be involved in the COACH Bursary Programme.
The bursary is a whole game programme to address under-representation at higher levels of the coaching profession. It is aimed at BAME coaches aspiring to qualifications to achieve greater opportunities. It provides support to do coaching qualifications, gain coaching experience, with opportunities to observe top coaches and benefit from mentoring.
The bursary programme is managed by Brendon Batson for The FA, with whole game support and input from The FA’s Equality team. The bursary programme is seeking to support those with at least a Level 2 qualification and who are aspiring to higher levels of coaching and are committed to following through a programme of work for a season.
Applicants will need to provide evidence that they are involved in coaching at an appropriate level, give a commitment of at least one season, complete all aspects of the relevant coaching qualification and coaching placement, work as directed and guided by The FA and the Club, make a contribution to their overall bursary costs.
Applicants to the programme will also be placed with specific Premiership and Football League Clubs Academies and Centres of Excellence and through other channels identified by the football authorities.
A panel drawn from the football authorities and specific community representatives will select the successful applicants against specific criteria. The bursary programme is not about giving people jobs.
It is about providing an opportunity for some people from under-represented groups to achieve the qualifications and experience to challenge for jobs that they would not previously have been able to do.
Click here to make your application
If you do not meet the programme criteria and would like more information on The FA’s Coach Education programme click here for local, national, online courses and The FA’s Coaching Pathway.
