Leading the Movement is a national programme to support sector leaders so they can confidently and successfully drive the change needed to tackle inequalities in sport and physical activity, and achieve the ambitions of our Uniting the Movement strategy.
About Leading the Movement
Leading the Movement is designed to meet the needs of sector leaders, it’ll continue to evolve over the next four years to do this.
Our ambition is to have an offer that supports every sector leader who’s looking to tackle inequalities.
There’ll be several different aspects to our offer, some deliberately targeted at officers and board members working within specific organisations, others for everyone.
Why is it needed?
People’s background, finances and the area they live in can have a negative impact on how likely they are to participate, volunteer and become leaders in physical activity and sport.
This isn’t good enough.
Our strategy, Uniting the Movement, sets out our ambitions to change this and ensure the benefits of being physically active are equally accessible to everyone.
We know tackling inequalities is hard work - it takes time and often requires a deliberate change in the way we all do things including the culture we promote, the partnerships we form and the policies and practices we develop.
Real change can’t be achieved alone, it takes strong leadership and sector leaders have told us they need extra support with this, so we’ve created Leading the Movement.
Our investment in this programme will help realise the power of the amazing leaders and networks in our sector, because being a leader isn’t only defined by job titles or seniority.
Leaders are passionate about wanting to make a difference, they want to create change and open opportunities for more people to live active lives.
If you’re working to tackle inequalities in sport and physical activity, or you support the people that do, then you're part of Leading the Movement.
Our offer
Our initial offer will launch in early 2025 and will include:
Individual coaching
Who's it for? Leaders working in, or a board member of, our system or strategic partner organisations who are looking at a specific challenge or opportunity to tackle inequalities in their role.
What is it? Selected leaders will be carefully matched to the ideal coach to support them with their goals and act as a trusted guide on their leadership journey.
Our experienced coaches are skilled at asking questions, drawing together insights and helping leaders work out the best solutions for them.
They provide a safe, confidential space to explore and reflect on personal leadership challenges, gain practical skills and boost confidence.
How will it be delivered? Virtually - complemented by our online toolkit and reflection tool.
What's the time commitment? After a welcome and matching session there'll be up to five, 60-minute, coaching sessions over a four-six month period, followed by a 30-minute check-in session around three months after our coaching has finished.
Find our more and express your interestIndividual mentoring
Who's it for? Leaders working in, or a board member of, our system or strategic partner organisations.
What is it? Our mentoring offer is designed to support the growth and development of both the mentor and the mentee through the lens of tackling inequalities.
It facilitates relationship building, emotional support, cross-cultural awareness and change.
Our mentors are experienced leaders with a wealth of lived experience and expertise in working to tackle inequalities in sport and physical activity.
They volunteer to support other leaders by discussing and exploring challenges and ideas together.
They'll help other leaders to maximise their potential, both professionally and personally, enabling them to become more self-aware, develop their influence and understand and navigate their challenges better.
How will it be delivered? Virtually - the mentee will be responsible for organising the sessions, their timings and purpose.
What's the time commitment? After a welcome and matching session there'll be three-five sessions of up to an hour, over four months, followed by a 30-minute check-in session around three months after mentoring has finished.
Find out more and express your interestPlace-based leadership courses
Who's it for? Primarily for leaders working in our new place partnerships, aligned to our Place Expansion programme.
What is it? Brings together partners and communities in a place to develop shared skills and relationships. Supporting them to work together and use system approaches to collectively tackle local inequalities in activity.
How will it be delivered? In person, within community settings.
What's the time commitment? Two days.
To find out more, please contact your Sport England relationship manager.
Over the course of 2025, Leading the Movement’s offer will continue to expand to include:
A website and resources for leaders
Our website will provide freely accessible information, guidance, news, development opportunities and signposting to resources designed to inspire and support leaders that are committed to tackling inequalities.
Newsletter
Our newsletter will provide regular updates from our programme team and share news from across the sector.
Online events and leadership community
Who's it for? Leaders working for our system partners and long-term partner organisations, place partnership areas, leisure trusts or local government.
What is it? Our events will explore topical subjects, provide access to expert speakers and offer the opportunity for discussion and networking with other leaders working to tackle inequalities.
Our online leadership community will enable leaders to stay in touch outside of our events, so they can share their challenges and solutions.
Team coaching
Who's it for? Teams of 7-12 leaders working in our System Partner and long-term partner organisations.
What is it? Coaches providing a safe and supportive environment to help teams develop their purpose, practice and presence, aiming to increase their effectiveness, connectedness and impact on tackling inequalities.
Our experienced coaches are skilled at asking questions, drawing together insights and helping teams come to the best solutions.
Group mentoring
Who's it for? Small groups of leaders working in our system partner and long-term partner organisations.
What is it? Facilitated by an experienced mentor, mentees will come together to share their experiences, knowledge and expertise.
They’ll work collaboratively to discuss and address common leadership challenges in a safe and supportive environment.
Become a mentor
In early 2025 we’ll be recruiting for more mentors!
What is it? Mentoring is a very satisfying and rewarding way of supporting your own professional development and learning while inspiring, motivating and supporting other leaders.
Our mentors are supported with a welcome and onboarding call and training on essential mentoring skills and equality, diversity and inclusion awareness.
We match our mentors with a well-suited mentee and ask them to provide between three and five mentoring sessions of up to an hour over a four-month period.
How do I do it? You’ll be willing to volunteer your time over four months and share your knowledge and expertise to inspire, motivate and support fellow leaders overcome their challenges and achieve their full potential.
National leadership courses
Who's it for? Leaders from councils, Active Partnerships, national governing bodies, national charities and leisure trusts who are involved in leading on strategic physical activity in their area/organisation.
What is it? Support for leaders to develop their systems leadership skills and approaches, and interact better with other services areas beyond sport and physical activity, while building confidence.
How will it be delivered? In person, via a residential programme.
What's the time commitment? Two-and-a-half days.
Designed for leaders, with leaders
Leading the Movement will continue to be developed for leaders, with leaders.
We’ve already engaged existing leaders to help us shape the programme and its offer and will continue to do this by:
- recruiting a co-design group made up of a diverse range of passionate sector leaders with different skills and experiences. The group will shape the programme’s ongoing development and offer continuous check and challenge.
- Regularly seeking feedback from the leaders who engage in the programme, and looking to find out more from those who don’t, to understand why and what would encourage them to engage.
- If you’d like to apply to join our co-design group, or sign up to be involved in the programme’s long-term evaluation, please email us.