Where do I fit in the Sport and Leisure world?

From a young age, many people know they want to work in Sport and Leisure but are unsure of where they can fit in. There are hundreds of possible roads you can take, the one you go down will be largely related to your current interests.

Start to ask yourselves the following questions:

• What is/was my favourite part of P.E./Sport Studies?
• Do any of my other subjects/qualifications relate to Sport in any way?
• What is my favourite Sport?
• What roles are there in Sport and how do they link to my interest?
• When I find out the roles best suited to me, can I get some work experience/volunteering at my current sports club(s)?
• What Further or Higher Education courses will best assist my career in Sport?

Employers in Hertfordshire in Sport and Leisure

There are:

• an estimated 2,500 Sports Clubs
• 5 Community Sport Networks (CSN) - identify local need and work together to attract funding to support the development of sports clubs, coaches and volunteers, promote the benefits of sport and physical activity and encourage greater participation in sporting opportunities.
• An estimated 100,000 Volunteers who assist with the running of clubs, events and charitable organisations
• An estimated 70 Leisure facilities across the county managed by 9 Leisure providers
• 50 Coaching Agencies which provide services to schools and clubs for holiday camps and extra-curricular activity
• 4 Professional Club Foundations - Saracens Maverick Netball, Stevenage FC Foundation, Watford FC CSE Trust and Saracens Sport Foundation

The 9 leisure providers are:

1. Everyone Active
2. Stevenage Leisure Limited
3. Hertfordshire Sports Village
4. UH Sport – HertSquad
5. 1Life
6. Better Leisure Centres
7. Broxbourne Council Leisure
8. Hertsmere – InspireALL
9. One YMCA

Gaining work or volunteering experience in Sport

Knowing your employers and the path you may want to take is the first step in knowing where you can gain valuable work experience. You must be willing to ask local clubs, leisure centres and even the schools for potential roles, during weekends, half terms and Christmas and summer breaks.

Dependant on your career aspirations finding direct experience may be difficult. For example, if you wish to work in physiotherapy, sport science or sport psychology then experience will most likely come nearer the end of your studying, however, some transferrable roles may be to work alongside sports coaches or even shadow people in the role you intend to pursue.

A further option is to find an appropriate apprenticeship scheme; many organisations offer apprenticeships where you can learn on the job. Apprenticeships are available for Sports Coaching, Fitness Instructing, Activity Leadership and many more.

Making the most of your PE teacher or current Sports Instructor is a great way to find appropriate experience and apprenticeship schemes, as they will have the best understanding of sport and leisure in your local area.

Becoming  a volunteer

One of the first steps you can take is to become a volunteer at a local Sports club or leisure centre; this can also involve helping with running local events. Using https://www.govolherts.org.uk/ you can register your interest as a volunteer and search the website for any opportunities suited to you. Clubs and organisations are always in need of volunteers.

Making a difference

Working in Sport and Leisure doesn’t always mean assisting people who are already fit and healthy. In fact, a large part of the sectors responsibility it to make sure Physical Activity is open to ALL. This includes those who wouldn’t normally be able to take part in Sport and Leisure such as:

• those with long term illnesses
• disabled people
• those suffering with mental health issues
• people who live in deprived areas
• older adults

There are 12.2 million disabled people in England, with 14.3% of the Hertfordshire population reporting that their day-to-day activities are limited by a disability or long-term illness. This filters into physical activity participation, as disabled adults are almost twice as likely as non-disabled people to be physically inactive (42.4% vs 22.6%).

Live Longer Better in Hertfordshire is a local collaborative activation of the national Live Longer Better campaign which seeks to enable our older adult population to lead longer happier and healthier lives through remaining physically, cognitively and socially active.,

Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity at Mind, said:

“We know that physical and mental health go hand in hand and it is now well-established that being more physically active can have real benefits to our mental health. Yet despite this, many people with mental health problems face barriers to getting active, ranging from fears about physical appearance or being intimidated by going to the gym, to finding it hard to get out of the house. The good news is that, by upskilling staff and volunteers across the sport and physical activity sector, we can begin to break down some of these barriers. We hope that the Regional Networks will help bring about real change in the sector that leads to more people with mental health problems feeling able to get more active.”

Becoming a more skilled Sports Coach/Leisure Instructor/Personal Trainer, how do I go about this?

Herts Sport Partnership have comprised a host of courses and workshops to aid existing coaches and inform those looking to enter the industry! Courses range from general training to Sport Specific training, tailoring to your needs. You can explore an updated directory of these course here.

To get answers to any further queries contact Herts Sports Partnership, who have extended knowledge of the Sport and Leisure sector. A member of the team may be able to push you in the right direction when moving forward with your career in Sport and Leisure.

Get in touch:

• Phone - 01707 284229
• E-mail – [email protected]

The National Careers Service is a useful website to explore different careers in Sports and Leisure.

You can also use the HOP careers directory to research different job roles, understand the main tasks and average salaries, learn about which qualifications you should consider studying and explore the current job and apprenticeship vacancies in Hertfordshire. A selection of roles are below, click further and search sports and leisure to find more roles.