As a sports development coach, you will be responsible for the development of our SurfABLE and SwimABLE Scotland projects and supporting our volunteers. You will ensure each project is periodically reviewed and they are supporting our surf and swim athletes, carers and families, regardless of disability and condition. You will have high levels of energy along with a natural passion towards the development of children, young people and adults with physical and/or hidden disabilities/conditions, including those with learning difficulties.

You will advocate various roles and provide support in ensuring these projects reach their potential.

Your availability to work weekends and evenings will be required.

You will be an excellent team player committed to supporting colleagues in projects and initiatives.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, which includes people with physical or hidden disabilities and conditions and those with learning difficulties. A valid first aid certificate and child protection certificate is desirable but these courses can be provided. Under the Protection of Vulnerable groups act, sports coaching with under 18s and vulnerable adults comes under the legislation as (regulated work) and therefore the successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced PVG disclosure check.

If you have a disability and require any reasonable adjustments that will enable you to apply for this position, please let us know.

Duties:

• Assist development and continue current initiatives
• Work in partnership with local, regional and national organisations to ensure projects are supporting key priorities around physical activity, healthy lifestyles and mental well-being
• Promote, manage and distribute programmes in other areas to generate income for the projects.
• Work with partners to promote and deliver training to volunteers, parents and young people to help them embed the relevant programmes in their community
• Facilitate training for volunteers to ensure they are confident, competent and professional in supporting the delivery of our projects in the community
• Provide regular reports and attend termly steering groups meetings
• Attend Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and work towards Instructor level or higher
• Support the team with major events and initiatives
• Routine maintenance to ensure longevity of equipment
• Work in partnership with the local sports organisations, facilitating leadership opportunities at local sporting and other community events
• Support the charity’s surf camps, group and individual surf and swim, corporate surf days and adaptive surf sessions through coaching/supervision Produce and review termly reports for our surf/swim athletes
• Gather feedback and evaluate the impact of the programmes
• Review and develop programmes to ensure they are meeting our key priorities
• Fully adhere to and promote safeguarding policies
• Demonstrate awareness of equal opportunities
• Work professionally as a positive advocate for Friendly Access at all times within the stated policies and practices of Friendly Access and all its activities.
• Understand fully the requirement for confidentiality in all areas of your work

Person Specification

(D = desirable E = essential)

• Experience liaising with a broad variety of professionals (E)
• High levels of energy and enthusiasm (E)
• Strong sense of urgency and dedicated work ethic (E)
• Ability to think logically in challenging situations (E)
• Ability to work effectively as a part of a team and independently (E)
• Ability to communicate and build a strong rapport with both young people and adults (E)
• Strong organisational skills (E)
• Good written and verbal communication skills (E)
• Good time keeping (E)
• A passion towards the development of children, young people and adults with physical and/or hidden disabilities/conditions and those with learning difficulties (E)
• Experience working within a sports or educational setting (E)
• Hold a full UK driving licence (E)

• Level 1 surf Instructor (D)
• Level 2 Swim Teacher/Instructor or equivalent (D)
• Evidence of continuing professional development in a relevant field (D)
• A relevant Level 1 or 2 UKCC qualification in any relevant sport (D)
• Evidence of recording and interpreting data (D)
• Experience of engaging with young people in leadership and sporting activities (D)
• Evidence of well-planned and effective delivery of differentiated person-centre programmes (D)
• Ability to develop and implement ideas / initiatives (D)
• Possess a level of general computer literacy with a range of good IT skills (D)

About Friendly Access

Friendly Access is a charity (SC045029) which focuses on creating and improving accessibility for everyone, regardless of disability or condition. ‘Seeing the environment as the disabling factor, not the individual’. Established in 2015 in Forres, Moray, we have 3 key areas. Technology, sport and education. We believe everyone should have the choice to take part in adventure sports. We also believe in making access to that sport inclusive, not exclusive. Since piloting the first autism specific surfing classes in Scotland in 2015, we proudly launched Scotland’s first fully adaptive and inclusive surf school SurfABLE Scotland in November 2017, providing the world’s most northerly surfing therapy programme for all (age 5 - adult), including low mobility and wheelchair users. The project mainly operates in Lossiemouth and Sandend and we also cover Caithness to Aberdeen. Our SwimABLE Scotland project delivers combined pool-based swimming and surfing activities. This is a project designed to deliver inclusive and structured swimming lessons for all abilities of all ages, regardless of disability and condition. The project is currently operating at Forres and Lossiemouth swimming pools.