Modern Apprentice

Community Coach Programme

2014-15

Important Programme Information and Summary

BACKGROUND

The Modern Apprenticeship inLeisure Management is a nationally accredited (SVQ Level 3) course which combines specific units of study as specified by the 1st4 Sport.

The Modern Apprenticeship in Sports Coaching (Rugby Union) is a nationally accredited (SVQ Level 2) course which combines specific units of study as specified by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA).

Both programmes are combined with recognised coaching and complimentary qualifications and workshops (UKCC, Referee, First Aid, Child Protection, Health & Safety) to develop young people and prepare them for roles in delivering and managing coaching programmes in the community.

Candidates will be employed with Scottish Rugby during which they work towards the specific standards of the course, collecting evidence which will allow the programme staff to positively credit / assess their coaching and management skills/performance and learning in relation to specific areas of the course content.

Each one of the course units is sub-divided into a number of elements. These elements demand certain criteria for ‘what you must do’ (performance criteria [PCs]) to be met through your studies.

As you are introduced to each unit by your Assessors it will be made evident to you the elements which make up the unit and the PCs which make up the elements.

As you are guided through your course you will quickly become aware of the importance of understanding the course content as this knowledge will allow you to make informed decisions on the methods and forms of gathering evidence which will be appropriate in meeting the needs of each unit.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE QUALIFICATION

As this course is based on the practical study and vocation of management and the delivery of rugby coaching in community sport, it is therefore important that candidates adhere to a number of requirements that are generally regarded within sports as being essential in allowing for the coaching process to be properly conducted.

  • The health and welfare of yourself and the children/adults you are coaching is of utmost importance and must never be compromised.
  • Coaching sessions should always be planned and prepared in advance.
  • You must always be appropriately attired and promote the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
  • Never attempt to coach with a group/individual or at a level that you feel you are not comfortable with.

The practical and physical requirements for working through these courses will require candidates to bring with them the resources for both academic and practical study on a daily basis. These requirements will include;

  • Pens, pencils, paper etc for note taking.
  • Appropriate clothing for coaching/assessing
  • Clean footwear for indoor training.
  • Appropriate foods and fluids (or the means for buying these) which can sustain your nutritional needs.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDY

As a learner in this programme you should expect to be treated in a manner that befits a recognised training institution of this nature. You should expect to be supported throughout your course and to be given every assistance, both physically and academically, in achieving your award.

You should expect to be treated in a professional manner and with courtesy by the staff members who you will be in contact with. At no time should you expect to undertake any task that you do not feel completely confident about completing or which you feel may undermine your position.

The education and experience that you will receive shall be of the highest quality and will provide a solid grounding in the coaching of sports based units and give you the management skills needed to coordinate and a manage programmes in the community.

On completion of your studies you should expect to be guided in relation to your future options with every resource available to the Scottish Rugby Union being allocated to help you achieve your future goals and aims.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU DURING YOUR COURSE OF STUDY

As a learner in this programmeyou will be expected to conduct yourself in a manner which befits a recognised training institution of this nature. You will be expected to treat other staff members in a manner that you would like to be treated yourself.

You will be expected to be enthusiastic regarding your course studies and you will be expected to undertake all task asked of you to the best of your ability, submitting task work on the deadlines which you will be set. Planned coaching activities must always be undertaken on time, be well planned and allow you to promote rugby as a positive role model to all the young players you may work with. You will be expected to attend meetings within your area and contribute to the planning and organisation of rugby programmes in the community.

You will be expected to let the course co-ordinator know of any planned or unplanned absence and shall realise that absence will be monitored.

As part of this programme you will be required to attend Murrayfield Stadium on two occasions per month to attend College Days which will include a variety of workshops and training. Some additional training may also be done locally in small groups in order to save on candidates travel. You will also be required to attend regional coaching updates and support other Scottish Rugby events such as Pro Team matches, IRB Sevens and Cup Final days

TRAINING & SUPPORT

The training that you receive will utilise the resources that are at the disposal of the Scottish Rugby Union. The human resources available to you will include various personnel who are regarded to be professional and extremely knowledgeable within their own chosen fields. Your adoption of their standards and knowledge will be of utmost importance in helping you achieve your coaching potential.

The physical resources made available to you will be of the highest quality and will allow you the opportunity to excel within your studies.

You will be supported throughout you studies by many people; however a great deal of your time will be spent with the immediate staff involved in this course. These staff members are noted below with their general responsibilities to you highlighted.

Mr Paul Kesterton (Education Manager) is responsible for the welfare of the candidates, assessment and verification of candidate work, programme delivery and quality assurance of the programme.

Rugby/Regional Development Managers – including; Glen Tippett, Peter Cook, Graham Lindsey, Alex Edmonstone, Sarah Quick, Brian Bell, Doc McKelvey, Brian Renwick, Pete Young – are responsible for assisting you in the planning and delivery of rugby programmes and development plans within your area and for meeting with you on a regular monthly basis to provide support and direction in your vocation.

Subject Specialists – Qualified staff and sports specialists such as Richard Chessor, Lead Nutritionist, will input subject information throughout your studies

Club Contacts – It is the responsibility of your club to forward a nominated person to assist in supporting through your studies. It is important that your club contact, your RDM and yourself develop and maintain appropriate lines of communication throughout your vocation.

COURSE PROCESSES

ASSESSMENT

During the course you will be asked to undertake a variety of tasks which will allow your Assessors to collect the required evidence of your competence regarding the course content.

The collection of appropriate evidence will take a number of forms however you will always be made aware of an impending assessment prior to the undertaking of any task.

In general the forms of assessment collection are as follows;

Candidate written evidence - This will be in the form of a written piece of work which you would be asked to prepare eg; narrative, written questions, self reflections

Workplace product – This would include materials prepared by you from within the workplace eg; coaching plans and evaluations, posters, leaflets, staff guidelines etc

Candidate performance evidence - This will be in the form of an Assessor watching you during eg; a coaching session and assessing what was performed by you.

Oral evidence - This will be when an assessor writes down your verbal answers to a given question/s. This evidence may be digitally recorded

Witness testimony - This will be a written testimony by a third party other than your Assessors eg Development Officer, Active Schools Coordinators and teachers to state that a task was completed successfully by you.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT

Evidence which is collected by you and on your behalf will be developed into your own personal Electronic on line Portfolio. This portfolio will be referenced regularly by your assessor, internal verifier and on occasion by the External Verifier of the SQA and 1st4Sport to ensure that course standards have been met. This portfolio is the key source of evidence to enable a pass on the programme.

INTERNAL VERIFICATION

The Internal Verifier will monitor the assessment process and will counter check evidence collected from you by the assessment staff. Portfolios will need to be kept up to date and made available for such processes

RECORDING

With regards to the recording of assessment evidence it is of utmost importance that you sign and date any materials given by you to any of the course staff. This simple process will help off-set evidence being lost or misrecorded in the future.

CERTIFICATION

At a time when the course staff have gathered the evidence needed to accredit you with this qualification, SQA and 1st4 Sport will be notified of the result of your study and you will be certified accordingly and in due course.

APPEALS

If at any time you disagree with an assessment decision, you are expected to discuss your feelings in the first instance with your Assessor. A candidate appeal can be based only on an assessment decision and on no other grounds eg venue, timings, dates etc. If you still feel that further comment is needed you should approach the course co-ordinator to formally begin the appeals process which will involve your work being re-assessed by the Internal Verifier. Any appeal based on the IVs decision will be addressed by an independent (third party) assessor for an assessment decision. The decision made from these findings will be made clear to you and will be final.

DATA PROTECTION

Personal details will need to be gathered from candidates to allow for registration and certification for your award with the Scottish Qualification Authority. This data transfer will at no time encroach on your civil rights as detailed in the Data Protection Act (1998). Portfolio evidence may also digitally be recorded and stored with Scottish Rugby for the purpose of assessment.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

All candidates will be required to become familiar with and uphold the Health and Safety Policy requirements as adopted by the facilities in which you will coach.

Health and Safety issues in general involve the adoption of common sense by all persons within the facility and it is therefore expected that you will embrace and uphold common sense in relation to the safety of yourself and others.

PLAGIARISM

All candidates work should be their own and attempts to falsify or copy work from other candidates may result in that work not being accepted and that unit and potentially the course being failed.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Scottish Rugby Union uphold the ethic of allowing each individual fair and reasonable opportunities to education and assessment regardless of hours worked, employment undertaken, religious beliefs or personal ability. Should a candidate feel the need for assistance in allowing for equal opportunity in relation to their studies they should immediately discuss this need with their course assessor.

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PK Mar 2014