Rise – Sport NI Female Sports Leadership Programme

Providing innovative and tailored support, this programme will benefit coaches, officials and sport administrators working in clubs, governing bodies and local sports forums who, through their leadership approach, are genuinely committed to diversity and inclusion and can influence change within their sport.

Applications for the initial cohort can be made here.

We will be flexible for anyone who wants to be involved. If you’re interested in completing this programme in the future, please get in touch as we will keep a waiting list.

The expression of interest window will close on Monday 8th January 2024.

Programme to commence Saturday 3rd February 2024.

For further information, please contact Clare Dowdall at: claredowdall@sportni.net

Rise Web

Sport NI Female Sporting Leadership Programme FAQs:

Who is the programme for?

-  This programme is aimed at potential female leaders in coaching, officials and sports administrators working in clubs, community groups, governing bodies, sports forums and local authorities.

- Applicants must currently be actively involved in a sporting role.

- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of expressing an interest in participating in the programme.

- This is for females based in the local authority areas of Derry & Strabane, Causeway Coast and Mid Ulster area.

The interactive blended programme allows each participant to work and focus on their own development, while also learning from others and hearing about their experiences of leadership.

What will it cover?

The programme is designed to develop and enhance core leadership behaviours in our networks. There will be a strong focus on ensuring that equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) underpins everything we do. The programme allows participants to continue to develop and reflect on their inclusive leadership behaviour and performance, with the assistance of course leaders and facilitators, this will support females to thrive in leadership positions in their sport.

The aim of the Rise leadership programme is:

  • To provide greater leadership capability across the sporting system
  • To provide the sporting sector with a pool of talented leaders able to successfully operate in their current roles
  • To provide the sector with a potential pool of talented leaders able to successfully operate at levels beyond their current roles
  • That participants should continue to adopt new learning and adapt their leadership styles beyond the end of the programme

How will I benefit?

  • Increased awareness of your current leadership style and its impact on the people and systems in which you operate
  • Additional tools and frameworks to refine your personal leadership style, in alignment with the purpose of your organisation
  • Boosted skills to face workplace challenges, such as having difficult conversations, leading teams, and influencing without authority in the sporting system
  • Inclusive leadership strategies for driving organisational and culture change.
  • A new network of women in the sporting system to learn from and achieve change with

What does it involve?

The 18 month programme includes the following elements:

Months 1 to 9

10 sessions – 3 face to face ; 3 online, 1 E learning, 3 sport specific modules.

  1. Face to face – “Developing you”, Self-awareness of leadership styles.
  2. Online Self-confidence and Assertiveness, leading in a male dominated environment.
  3. Specific sport module – Online
  4. E-learning- Stakeholder Management and Crisis Management and Influencing people
  5. Face to Face– Communication skills, Networking, and mentoring.
  6. Online- leading in a digital world
  7. Specific sport module – Online
  8. Online – Building a team and leading change in your organization
  9. Specific sport module – Online
  10. Face to face- My personal leadership style, Personal development plan, What now ?

-  3 selective modules: specific to domains of course population i.e., coaching, officiating, sports administration.

Months 10 to 18

  • Mentor / Developer support, minimum 4 interactions local mentors
  • There will be training for mentors to help develop local mentors and make the programme sustainable
  • A ‘day in my shoes’ visit
  • Community of practice, minimum 3 interactions to keep the group connected

There are no written assignments, and the course is pragmatic rather than academic in format.

How will participants be selected?

We will aim for:

  • A mix of participants across partner organisations, sports clubs, governing bodies and local authorities.
  • Full commitment of the participants to the course dates and requirements.
  • Reference check with participant’s sports.
  • A spread of females in different roles coaching, sports administration and officials.
  • Experience the female has in there current role.
  • Spread of participants across North/West region and organisations across the cohorts.

Participants will be asked to fill in an Equal Opportunities questionnaire this is for information only and will not be used in selection.

What are the programme dates?

The programme is due to commence in February 2024, once expressions of interest have been received and reviewed, specific dates for sessions will be share with programme participants. The programme outline is detailed below.

100% commitment to all programme dates is required and agreed to during the application process.

Course Dates

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