Doncaster skills plan for sport and physical activity

The plan aims to help recruit, support and retain a flexible, skilled and inclusive sport and physical activity local workforce, enabling people to lead healthy, active lives.

In collaboration with local employers, education providers, local authorities and healthcare organisations, the sport and physical activity sector have implemented a local skills plan for the workforce in Doncaster.

Developed by the Doncaster Local Skills Accountability Board, the plan covers the city of Doncaster, the surrounding suburbs and its many towns and villages. It identifies the key skills improvements, workforce challenges and priorities for the sport and physical activity sector in these areas.

Doncaster, just like many areas across the UK, are facing societal challenges such as an increase of economic inactivity and long-term health conditions. According to NHS statistics, 5.4% of the local population are economically inactive due to health conditions. 

Encouraging active living across Doncaster is key. Sustainable movement supports improved health, enriched lifestyle experiences and more comprehensive education. In order to support the population of Doncaster with more opportunities to engage with physical activity, a more diverse sport and physical activity workforce, that represents the community that it serves, is needed.

The Doncaster Local Skills Accountability Board brings together local organisations to match supply and demand in the sport and physical activity sector, to help ensure that the sector can deliver health, economic and social benefits to our nation.

The Doncaster local skills plan outlines how we can support the local sport and physical activity workforce to deliver inclusive, high-quality physical activity opportunities across the area. Closely aligning with the South Yorkshire Local Skills Improvement Plan, it reflects the work of key strategies and initiatives that are already in place in Doncaster. This sector local skills plan has three recommendations:

1.        Build a skilled and trusted workforce to integrate physical activity into health and care systems for effective long-term condition prevention, treatment and recovery. 

2.        Align the education system with local community and business needs, providing students with industry-specific experience to be job-ready.

3.        Raise awareness and accessibility of, and employability for, sport and physical activity careers to boost recruitment. 

Ryan Kirby is the Workforce Development Manager at CIMSPA for Doncaster:

“This plan is uniting organisations and individuals across the sector to work more collaboratively than ever before.

“By focusing on developing skills, sharing knowledge, and building stronger partnerships, the plan is helping to professionalise the local workforce and create a more connected, capable, and confident sector. This collective approach is strengthening Doncaster’s sport and physical activity community, ensuring its better equipped to support wellbeing and long-term positive change.”

Douglas Blackwood, People and Skills Development Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation said:

“The Doncaster Skills plan outlines the steps we can take to better support our sport and physical activity workforce, and how that workforce can develop to meet future demand. 

“There are vast opportunities for our sector in tackling the wider challenges we face as a society including long term health conditions, economic inactivity and productivity as outlined by the Get Britain Working White Paper. This plan is a key step in unlocking those opportunities our sector in Doncaster through diversifying and developing our skills, pathways and people.”

Adi Turnpenny, Principal at Club Doncaster Sports College said:

“We are working with CIMSPA and the local skills accountability board to further link our curriculum content and pathways across Doncaster, which will develop even more positive outcomes and opportunities for our students.

“Education and employers working together is of great benefit to both our students and the sports sector in Doncaster overall.”

Read the Doncaster sport and physical activity sector local skills plan: https://cimspa.co.uk/local-skills/doncaster/