Despite female participation being at an all-time high in football, women are still heavily underrepresented when it comes to coaching, both in the male and female game.
Although there are many aspects that contribute to the gender inequality in terms of female representation in coaching, the lack of female role models for young girls to aspire to is a significant factor.
Through the West Ham United Foundation’s longstanding partnership with the FA and the Prince’s Trust, West Ham United’s official charity was able to deliver a free programme, Get Started in Female Football Leadership, to give young women their first steps into coaching.
Three female role models from the FA and WHU Foundation delivered the week-long course to an ambitious young cohort combining theory and practical activities, bringing to life the FA’s ‘Stepping over the Sidelines’ course.
“We’ve had a really strong partnership with the Prince’s Trust for the last eight years,” said WHUF Employability Manager Rashid Abba. “This week, our staff co-delivered a brand new ‘Get Started’ course which gave the young girls the opportunity to take their very first steps into a field they are truly passionate about.
“Having the young female role models from the community deliver the course really helped engage with them. They were relatable figures who understand the barriers young girls face when it comes to building a career in coaching. They came across as very inspirational and were able to build really strong relationships with the participants despite the length of the course.”
The Foundation’s Get Started in Female Football Leadership is part of a series of Prince’s Trust courses which provides young people aged 16 to 30 not in education training or employment with an entry point into the industry they aspire to be part of.
Reflecting on her participation, one enthusiastic learner stated: “When I saw this course, I wanted to be on it because I thought it would give me good insight into becoming a coach as well as the networking aspect. The practical part of the course was fun. Being out on the pitch really brought the classroom content to life.
“I had done some volunteering in year nine assisting coaches at a sports academy which has really inspired me to get into coaching. There have been a lot of takeaways from this week, but I like the fact that we received qualifications in both safeguarding and basic life support; transferable skills which will be useful in plenty of different sectors.”
Hosted at the Prince’s Trust community hub in Tower Hamlets, WHU Foundation’s Youth Mentor Ruby Williams joined forces with the FA’s Girls Coach Mentor Tyra Mills and Community Champion Yasmin Hussain.
Hussain, a full-time coach at Frenford F.C., whose role as Community Champion at the FA consists of getting more females into coaching, spoke towards the importance of having relatable figures delivering the course.
“When I started playing football at the age of 13, there were no female coaches at my Club,” she recalled. “Role models in the community are so important. Some participants had recognised me on the online FA Playmaker course, that and the fact I was delivering this, it shows them that anyone can do it and that you don’t need a footballing background to be able to coach.”
The ‘Get Started’ course encompassed essential components such as safeguarding and first aid qualifications, alongside the ‘Stepping over the Sidelines’ course, offering insights into the fundamentals of coaching and sharing best practices in session planning.
“This week was all about giving the girls the confidence in taking their first steps in coaching,” Hussain continued. “How can they apply their skills in a coaching environment. By the end of the week, I have noticed a massive difference in their attitudes.
“With participants not being in education training or employment, most of them were very shy on the taster day, reluctant to get involved and connect with their peers. On the last day however, I have noticed a massive boost in confidence. All of them are glad they completed the course and are looking to build on their experience.”
Following the course, the WHU Foundation is committed to continuing the participants’ development by signposting them to further personal development programmes and mentoring schemes.
“This week is just the first step,” Abba insisted. “I hope this course has ignited a spark in them and will motivate them to continue gaining qualifications. I would like to see some of these new faces on our The Training Ground programme, and of course Ruby will be keeping in touch if they need any one-to-one mentoring. We will do everything we can to support these young girls if they require any guidance with their level one or any further coaching qualifications.”
