Coach Core Sussex: Building skills, confidence and careers through sport

Active Sussex is proud to be working with Coach Core to deliver its innovative sports coaching apprenticeship programme in Sussex. 

Since launching the third Sussex cohort in September 2024, the scheme has been unlocking the potential of 16–24 year olds who may have faced barriers, discrimination, or a lack of opportunities.

Coach Core is about so much more than coaching. It’s about changing lives, developing vital skills for sport, work and life, and creating a generation of coaches who can bring lasting impact to their communities.

A packed first year of opportunities

From March to July, apprentices have been immersed in a wide variety of training, workshops, and real-world coaching experiences designed to build their knowledge and confidence. 

They have taken part in face-to-face sessions with organisations such as Defiant Sports, where they learned how to adapt their delivery to support people with disabilities, and spent a day at Volume 1 Climbing, exploring teamwork and problem-solving in a new environment. 

May brought a chance to put these skills into action at the Parallel Youth Games, where apprentices supported the delivery of boccia and New Age Kurling competitions. 

In June, South Coast Sports hosted a Continuing Professional Development session at their Bognor Regis venue, led by Early Years Lead James Belding. 

This gave apprentices the chance to deliver activities to a local group of nursery-aged children, supported by training resources and guidance to help them plan for future sessions.

By July, the focus turned back to Play Their Way, with Active Sussex Strategic Workforce Officer Nick Chellel leading an in-depth workshop. 

Apprentices explored the theory of child-first coaching before moving into a practical session where they had the chance to put these ideas into practice.

Learning from experts

Feedback from apprentices has been enthusiastic, with participants describing the sessions as “a great environment in the group”, “loved the session” and “genuinely enjoyable day.” 

Apprentice Bobbie from Defiant Sports reflected on the impact of the training:  “The Coach Core Sussex education program has helped me massively improve in coaching in a variety of different ways. 

“We did an education day with Nick about The Play Their Way campaign and child first coaching. It is a great way of finding ways to improve your coaching skills in sessions when working with children. 

“After doing this workshop, I’ve managed to implement child-first coaching techniques and things I’ve learned into my coaching skills.”

A growing movement

This rich variety of experiences is made possible by a consortium of local employers who have thrown their support behind the programme. 

Their willingness to host education days, deliver CPD sessions and open doors to new opportunities has created an environment where apprentices can truly flourish.

As Nick Chellel, Active Sussex’s Strategic Workforce Officer, explained:  “Coach Core Sussex is so much more than an apprenticeship – it’s a powerful movement that’s unlocking the potential of young people while strengthening the communities they serve. 

“The third cohort has had an incredible first year, with each apprentice gaining vital skills, confidence, and experience to build thriving careers in our sector.

“It’s fantastic that they will be equipped not only with a qualification but with the confidence and competence that they can drive real, lasting change in their communities through sport and physical activity.”

Phil West from Coach Core echoed this, adding:  “As we approach the one-year mark of the Coach Core Sussex programme, it’s clear the impact has been significant.

“This combination is not only developing skilled, confident coaches, but also strengthening the future workforce of the local sport and physical activity sector.”

Looking ahead

With the final stages of their apprenticeship approaching, the Sussex cohort are preparing for their end-point assessments later this year. 

By then, they will not only hold a nationally recognised qualification, but also the skills, experience and confidence to launch successful careers in coaching and beyond.

For anyone aged 16–24 who is passionate about sport, wants to build new skills, and is ready to make a difference, Coach Core Sussex offers an exciting opportunity to turn that passion into a career. Recruitment of employers for the 4th Coach Core Sussex cohort, due to officially launch in September 2026, will begin in Spring 2026.