Aspiring female and BAME coaches have less than a fortnight left to apply for the FA's coaching bursary to help them with their qualifications.
Hundreds of people from under-represented coaching communities have already applied for the grant which, if successful, will see them receive a financial contribution towards an FA coaching course.
For candidates working in the grassroots game, that contribution is towards The FA's Level 3 (UEFA B) in Coaching Football qualification. For coaches working in the professional game, there is support towards The FA Level 4 (UEFA A) in Coaching Football, The FA Advanced Youth Award or The FA Level 5 (UEFA Pro) in Coaching Football qualifications.
The scheme, which is jointly backed by funding from Sport England, is led by The FA’s coach inclusion and diversity manager, Wayne Allison, who encouraged anyone thinking of applying to beat the deadline and put their name forward.
“We’ve been really pleased with the number of applications received so far from some really excellent candidates, but there is still plenty of time for anyone interested in applying to get theirs in before the deadline ends,” he said.
“This is an initiative that has the potential to really make a difference in a coach’s journey – be that in the grassroots game or within the professional ranks – so it’s not one to be missed.
“From previous years we’ve seen bursary recipients develop in ways that have really changed the way they coach for the better, and in some instances go on into roles within the game that were previously not open to them because of their coaching levels.”
It’s a view shared by Liban Mude, who was accepted onto the bursary in 2016 and has since gone on to be accepted onto this year’s A licence course: “I would say to anyone reading this or considering whether or not to apply to definitely go for it.
“It really does open doors that you might not necessarily be able to open yourself and can put you on a platform to propel where you want to go.
“For me personally, it helped me get onto and complete my UEFA B licence, and with that I have been able to continue to grow within a working environment at Barnet FC where I coach in the youth development phase.
“It has also allowed me to apply for the A licence, which I started last week so the bursary has allowed me to progress as a coach and gain the necessary qualifications to stay within the elite environment.”
To apply for The FA Coaching Bursary, please click here.
