A new initiative aimed at developing more female and BAME coaches across the country has been launched by The FA, featuring the opportunity to work within a professional club and with England’s development teams.
The National Specialist Coach Development Programme will enlist two coaches and help them prepare for a role as a national team specialist coach over an 18-month period.
The successful coaches will then complete a placement with a professional club, providing them with the opportunity to hone must-have coaching skills while also attending England development team camps and experiencing an international tournament.
This will also help to build their knowledge, skills and behaviours in the classroom, being given access to some of The FA’s higher level courses.
Alongside The FA grassroots coaching bursary and FA elite coach menteeship programmes, it is one of a number of FA schemes aimed at improving the coaching talent pool at all levels.
“It’s a major commitment and investment from The FA,” said Wayne Allison, The FA’s coach inclusion and diversity manager and one of those heading up the scheme.
“We want to improve representation within the national teams, creating a better reflection of ethnicity and gender in those key decision-making positions and providing new pathways of aspiring coaches and players.”
