Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Governance Project

CIMSPA, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, is engaging stakeholders across the sport and physical activity sector, regarding a workforce governance project.

In ‘Uniting the Movement’ – Sport England’s new 10-year strategy – the importance was highlighted of a sector-wide approach to supporting, safeguarding and regulating the workforce to ensure the delivery of high-quality and safe experiences at all levels of sport and physical activity.

To help deliver on these aspects of its strategy, Sport England has commissioned CIMSPA to lead on the second phase of ‘Workforce Governance: Sport and Physical Activity’ – a project to understand the ways in which the sport and physical activity workforce can be better supported to provide safe and high-quality experiences.

Following the 2017 Duty of Care Report and Sport England’s Active Nation coaching and workforce strategies, this work began in 2019 as ‘Workforce Registration and Regulation Consultation’ in which there was a broad appetite from across the sector to make improvements and find better ways of preventing harm from occurring. A summary of phase 1 can be found here.

CIMSPA is now moving into phase 2 of the project, working with Sporting People, who have been asked to conduct research which will include engagement with stakeholders from across the sport and physical activity sector to:

• Gain a deeper understanding of how organisations are currently supporting the workforce in delivering positive experiences for all participants
• Understand how organisations are already working to mitigate workforce related risks
• Examine the role and existing methods of workforce regulation and registration
• Appraise best practice in workforce governance from across the sector, alongside learning from other sectors and countries

Following the conclusion of phase 2, CIMSPA will produce a report by the autumn, which will include recommendations on future improvements and actions. UK Sport is also fully engaged with this process and remains a close ally and advocate for the work.

BASES has a Memorandum of Understanding with CIMSPA and we have been asked to share this information with our members and network. CIMSPA is keen to hear from as many people as possible within the sport and physical activity workforce, especially those involved in frontline workforce roles, elite sport support staff, or those with responsibility for workforce development and safeguarding.

There are options for engaging through focus groups and a set of online questions on the CIMSPA website, where individuals can also register to be kept up to date with the project.