Mentee Development Programme Continues With Development Day at Loughborough University
Last month, coaches on our 2021/22 Mentee Development Programme came together at Loughborough University to reconnect, provide updates on their progress and present their individual projects.
The programme, which is supported by The Chelsea Foundation, gives 10 coaches a bespoke, season-long experience in coaching within elite environments, as well as the opportunity to gain exposure to The FA’s Technical Department.
As part of England Football Learning’s wider coach inclusion and diversity plan, the Mentee Development Programme serves to develop coaches from historically underrepresented backgrounds and address the inequalities that exist for coaches from Black, Asian, mixed heritage backgrounds and females.
The mentees were joined in Loughborough by Coach & Diversity Inclusion Manager and programme-lead Butch Fazal, Game Insights Analyst Si Houston, National Coach Development Lead Darren Moss, Mentee Alumni member Taff Rahman, Communication and Presentation Skills Consultant Keith Daniell and Loughborough University Coaching Lecturer Ed Cope for a series of presentations, group discussions and tactical analysis.
Speaking on her experiences on the programme this season, coach and mentee Lekeisha Gumbs said: “The programme has been really enjoyable so far. Everyone is supporting each other which is great.”
Also present on the day was Andrew Ducille and mentees from BCOMS, who will be teaming up with coaches on this year’s programme to further enhance their learning experience.
BCOMS, which was founded in 2009 by Leon Mann MBE, supports talented sports media professionals of black origin to enact positive change and progress within the industry.
Speaking on the relationship with BCOMS and the success of the programme so far, Butch Fazal said: "I am really excited about the next stage of the programme and collaborating with BCOMS on how we can amplify the stories of the mentees to further expose them to the game and widen their networks."
Following this month’s event in Loughborough, our mentees will continue their agile experiences this season with 1-1 workshops in communication, reflective analysis and technical coaching, along with planned visits to elite environments including Liverpool FC and England national camps.
Catch the highlights from another fantastic day on this year’s programme below:
