Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Inclusion events for BAME footballers and coaches to be held at Turf Moor and the Etihad
Creating and Developing Coaches was founded by Dr Dan Kilvington, Senior Lecturer in the School of Cultural Studies and Humanities, and aims to provide a platform for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) coaches, or personnel working with under-representative groups, to network with key coaching organisations within the region
Dr Kilvington is organising the event following a 10-year study into BAME participation football in the UK.
Dr Kilvington said: “These events are important to attempt to increase diversity within football coaching at all levels. Black and Asian coaches in particular are vastly under-represented in the game and that is precisely what this initiative hopes to challenge.
“At present there are only five black managers in English football out of 92 professional clubs, with only 4.1 per cent of senior football coaches in the 2016-17 season from a BAME background. This is particularly shocking considering over a quarter of professional footballers are BAME.
“Research has shown that a lack of networks and a small number of role models - among other barriers - has maintained this exclusion. These events provide that networking space, promote opportunities and highlight some of the amazing role models working within the game.”
The events are being held at Burnley FC’s Turf Moor on 30 April, 7pm-9.15pm and at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium on 8 May, 7pm-9.15pm.
They are aimed at aspiring football coaches, current coaches (from any level), and anyone who wants to learn how to create and develop football clubs, how to access coaching courses, to network with experienced coaches and FA coach mentors, or aspires to develop a professional career within football.
Kevin Coleman, Equality and Diversity Manager at the FA, said: “The work of independent projects like Creating and Developing Coaches are vitally important in the FA’s efforts - and the efforts of the wider football family - in making football a game for all.
“Football, especially the people who deliver the game, and coaches - who are very often the face of the game - need to reflect the communities they serve. They need to understand the communities they serve and ideally need to come from within the communities they serve.
“The FA has for a long time had targets around the diversity of the coaches who take our qualifications and coach within our clubs, not just in terms of ethnicity, but also gender, disability, age, faith and sexual orientation.”
Previous events have been held at Bradford City, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United and West Ham. The inclusion organisation has worked with, and supported, over 250 coaches to date and has helped some coaches, for instance, gain full-time employment within football.
If you would like further information, please email D.J.Kilvington@leedsbeckett.ac.uk