Digital bank Chase has launched a new Home Nations football programme that will provide fully funded access to 2900 introductory coaching qualifications and 85 professional coaching bursaries to support individuals from low-income backgrounds.
The new funding has been announced after YouGov research revealed that the cost of qualifications is the main barrier to coaching for under resourced communities in Northern Ireland, with 55% saying that financial support would make them more likely to continue through the coaching pathway.
In working with the Home Nations associations and providing more access to fully funded coaching qualifications at all levels of the game, Chase is hoping to help more people from under resourced communities across Northern Ireland and the three other Home Nations unlock their potential - by fostering life skills both on and off the pitch, building pathways towards future employment and supporting role models who can inspire future generations.
As well as revealing the barriers to coaching for communities, the research showed the benefits felt by those who do coach, with active coaches citing analytical thinking (60%), motivation and self-awareness (50%), organisation (50%) and teaching and mentoring (40%) as transferable skills they’ve been able to develop. And 59% also believe coaching has made them more employable.
The research further reveals the power of role models amongst people from low-income backgrounds, with more than half of those surveyed saying they’d be more likely to progress their coaching qualifications if they had role models available from more diverse backgrounds.
The funding seeks to address this directly by increasing representation of under resourced communities in coaching, a priority area for all of the Home Nations associations.
Chase announced multi-year partnerships with the FA, Irish FA, SFA and FAW in February to become the Official Banking Partner of their respective men’s and women’s, youth and disability national teams.
At the heart of the partnerships is a commitment to collaborate to help individuals in under resourced communities unlock their potential by improving access to resources, tools and facilities that can support their pathway to future employment.
Alongside funding 2900 introductory coaching qualifications and 85 professional coaching bursaries, the programme will provide free learning tools for volunteer coaches that will be easily accessible via the FA, Irish FA, SFA and FAW websites.
The new coaching initiative builds on Chase’s ongoing investment in community-based programmes, including a long-standing partnership with the National Literacy Trust, and extends JPMorgan Chase’s decade-long support for local communities in the UK, where it employs over 22,000 people.
Deborah Keay, UK Chief Marketing Officer at Chase, said:“We’re committed to making a difference in the communities that we serve, and research has demonstrated that participating in football coaching can have a transformative impact on individuals, from improving key life skills to boosting employability.
“We’re proud to work with the Home Nations FAs to help remove key barriers to entry for people from low-income backgrounds through the Chase football coaching programme by giving them access to the right resources they need to succeed, making the game more accessible and representative throughout the UK.”
Coaches from the four Home Nations football teams have shown their support for the new programme, each having first-hand experience of the positive impact it can have on people’s lives.
Northern Ireland Women’s Manager Tanya Oxtoby (pictured here taking part in a Chase coaching session) said: "This is a fantastic initiative. At the Irish FA we truly believe that football is for all and it’s amazing to see Chase providing this support for aspiring coaches from low-income backgrounds.”
Wales senior men’s team manager Rob Page, England Women’s U23s coach Anita Asante and Scotland senior men’s team assistant manager John Carver all welcomed Chase’s programme to provide coaching qualifications and bursaries for people from low-income backgrounds.
For more information on the Chase Football Coaching Programme visit https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/chase-football-coaching-programme/
