New Workforce Project Launched Aimed at Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Peers

This project is aiming to create a new sport and physical activity workforce, ensuring there are ‘more people like me’ delivering locally in Bristol, creating a workforce that really does reflect society. The course is aimed at asylum seekers, refugees and the peers they live alongside.

The first ‘Get into Sport Coaching’ Course was delivered in October at St Paul’s Learning Centre in Bristol.  The 5-week practical course provided a basic introduction to sports coaching, supporting the learners with their first steps into volunteer coaching. The first cohort was fully engaged and it proved to be a great success, with six attendees completing the course. They will continue to be supported over the next twelve months and we are excited to see where their coaching journey takes them, with the ultimate aim of inspiring others to lead an active lifestyle.

Recruitment and development of this first course was supported by Bristol Refugee Rights, Bristol Hospitality Network, Borderlands and Refugee Women of Bristol. Collaboration with these refugee support organisations has been crucial to the successful roll out of the project and will continue to be important throughout the project delivery. This partnership working has provided us with an already established connect to consult directly with asylum seekers and refugees. These partners have been really helpful and open to collaboration, which has been a huge help as we embark on this brand new project.

Since the first course, one of the attendees has already linked up with Gloucestershire Cricket Board and their Chance to Shine Street Cricket sessions in Easton to gain some further experience of delivering sport in the community.

“I am really enjoying the experience of coaching at the cricket sessions. I can feel that my confidence is growing already”

Wesport have funding to deliver this project over two years, provided by Sport England through their Workforce Innovation Fund. Future delivery will include a young people focussed version of the ‘Get into Sport Coaching’ course and a female only version too. Wesport are working with the Bristol Refugee Festival and hope to involve the newly developed workforce to support delivery at the festival next summer.

“The sports coaching course was a great success” 

“It was great to meet you all; it was a great course and gave me ideas.”

“It has been amazing to see how sport and physical activity has inspired the first cohort of learners we have engaged. I was blown away by their enthusiasm for the course and I am really excited to see how their coaching journeys evolve from here.” (Sarah McLeod- Project Manager, Wesport)