Securing access to sport for young people

ICOACHKIDS is a global initiative focused on improving youth sports around the world through community-building and free digital resources. It is run in partnership by Leeds Beckett University’s Carnegie School of Sport and the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE).

The main objective of the ICOACHKIDS project is to tackle the lack of existing opportunities for coaches of children to be suitably trained and recognised across Europe. It is built upon the belief that all young people, regardless of country or background, should have access to high-quality sport coaching, which can improve their health and wellbeing by encouraging them to stay active.

With its strong pedigree in developing coaching education programmes, Leeds Beckett believes that the coach is the architect of creating positive experiences for children through sport. ICOACHKIDS uses a learner-centred, collaborative approach which maximises the most advanced techniques of open-source e-learning – ensuring that every coach has equal access to training and resources, no matter their background.

Originally scheduled to run from 2016 to 2019, the scheme’s success saw funding extended beyond the initial three years. Since 2020, ICOACHKIDS has been delivered in partnership with sportswear giant Nike, which has used its global reach to ensure thousands more coaches and organisations have access to the educational resources developed through this partnership.

It also one of the few external resources featured in Nike’s Global Impact Report FY23, which highlights its efforts to promote positive, safe and inclusive sports experiences for children worldwide.