From the cricket pitch to the board room, ThinkAbility assists all organisations to concentrate on the individual in order to bring out their best abilities.
Training for Sports Clubs from Grassroots to Professional level
Children, young people and adults of all ethnicities, gender, and sexuality enter the world of sport at all levels Coaches are aware that a person joining their club may be:
. Neurodiverse
. LGBTQ+
. Genderdiverse
. From non-traditional accommodation ie. Children's Homes
. Be of varying ethnicities, religions and spiritual beliefs
. Have differing physical abilities
. Have a learning disability
​
Times vary for the courses below, some are one-hour courses, and some are three hours depending on the amount of people attending. We cater for organisations of any size and can provide bespoke training packages that fit your direct requirements as a sports club. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION OR WITH ANY QUESTIONS
Training Available
Neurodiversity for children and young people in Sport
Led by our highly qualified and experienced Child and Adolescent Mental Health professional, this training session assists coaches from grass-roots sport and beyond to help to understand the various forms of neurodiversity and how to tailor their coaching to incorporate the individual needs of the child during a coaching session. The ultimate outcome is to enable the child to maximise their sporting abilities whilst knowing that they are in a supportive environment in which their needs as an individual are celebrated.
Gender Diversity & Gender Inclusivity in Sport
Led by an expert Family Therapist who specialises in the field of Gender Services, this course examines the importance of gender inclusivity for people playing sport and also their coaches, trainers and other players. We discuss the barriers to women and girls' participation in sport, and we cover best practice policies surrounding gender inclusivity and the implementation of gender-inclusive leadership. We examine, in-depth, the gender-inclusive actions that a club needs to incorporate. We elaborate on all aspects of enabling a trans and non-binary inclusive club and how this is also a key factor in player retention and enabling them to fulfil their playing potential.
Active awareness of ethnicity, religion and spiritual beliefs in sport
This course looks at how racism is experienced at all levels by men, women and children and how racism can manifest in different ways, from overt to covert activity. We explore direct abuse, stereotypes based on cultural or ethnic background, or structural factors, such as a failure to accommodate cultural needs, for example, dress codes. We also examine why levels of participation in sport and physical activity for specific Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups are behind national participation levels. The course material and discussions then lead to discussions on how to increase participation levels of people who are under-represented and best support practices.
Coaching children in care & care leavers
Children who live in children's homes and young people who are care leavers are massively under-represented in all sport from grassroots and beyond.
We discuss how to enable these children and young people to gain information about your organisation and how coaches can help them to take those first steps in joining.
We delve into what children and young people in care will need in addition to other children on and off the pitch and ways to ensure player retention. Many talented children and young people in care fall through the net and their sporting ability is never noticed or realised.
Physical Disability Inclusivity in Sport
This course is led by ThinkAbility Director Nathan Popple who talks about how all organisations can include all people and gives practical examples of what can be done by a club to welcome someone with a physical disability and to help them achieve their sporting abilities. Nathan also does a practical accessibility check of your premises if required and advises on what needs to be put in place for your building to be inclusive.
Including people with varied Learning Needs/ Learning Disabilities in sport.
This course is aimed at sports coaches who have players with varied learning abilities.
We discuss how to enable the player by seeking out what reasonable adjustments need to be made. How to assess what the individual can do and the best ways of communication. The person may be verbal, use signs or symbols, facial expressions or use sounds and vocalisations.
We focus on how to break sessions down into smaller steps, if necessary, by using task analysis and look at the variety of teaching methods such as: using visual aids, video clips, active demonstration, and using aids to help the person remember what they achieved and learnt in their coaching session such as pictures or symbols.