A London apprentice working for the Crystal Palace for Life Foundation is helping to give back to her community thanks to a sports coaching apprenticeship programme run by Coach Core Foundation, a charity set up in response to the London 2011 riots and as part of the London 2012 legacy.

Rochelle Mayne from Croydon was at Wembley Padel Centre to help launch Coach Core’s new strategy where the charity called on the government to prioritise sport and sports apprenticeships to tackle youth unemployment.

Rochelle, who is one of 1,000 young people that Coach Core Foundation have supported since 2012, and has passion for football and helping girls into the game, said: “Since working for Crystal Palace Foundation, I have been able to learn a lot from my team to widen my knowledge when it comes to coaching and delivering sport in the community.

“I’ve benefited from gaining practical experience on the ground as well as more theory based learning via the online training modules.

Coach Core apprentice Rochelle Mayne with Christine Ohuruogu.

placeholder image — Coach Core apprentice Rochelle Mayne with Christine Ohuruogu.

“Coach Core have been really supportive and having a peer-group to share this experience has given me the confidence to share my learning, both positive and constructive, to learn from the wider group.

“I’m excited to keep developing my skills and taking opportunities that come my way.’’

Rochelle has also recently signed up to join the Coach Core ‘Women in Sport’ network, to share her experiences and hopefully provide valuable insight to help us attract more females onto the apprenticeship programme.

The charity, which focusses on delivering entry level community sports coaching apprenticeships with over 300 employer partners in London and across the UK aimed at supporting marginalised young people.

They have announced ambitious plans to create 500 new apprenticeship opportunities over the next three years, helping to deliver sport and physical activity to an estimated 8.5 million people.

Since forming as part of the legacy of London 2012, the charity which is funded by Sport England, has provided lifechanging career opportunities for nearly 1000 marginalised young people across the UK, through apprenticeships in community sports coaching.

This sees many apprentices go into further employment, delivering sport and physical activity in their local communities.

The new Labour government’s manifesto included a commitment to a new Youth Guarantee with opportunities for training, apprenticeships and employment for 18–21-year-olds to prevent young people becoming excluded from employment at an early age.

It follows a steady decline in the number of entry level apprenticeships, contributing to a decade high number of 900,000 young people not in employment, education or training in the UK.

Speaking at the event at which was attended by leading figures from sport, London 2012 star Christine Ohuruogu and Coach Core Foundation apprentices, Chief Executive, Gary Laybourne, said: “The sport and physical activity sector is the poor relation to other traditional sectors when it comes to apprenticeships.

"We know that sport has a unique appeal to young people, yet it accounts for such a tiny proportion of apprenticeships. It needs to be taken more seriously and prioritised as a career opportunity especially for those from marginalised backgrounds.”

“Whilst we can play our small part, it requires the government to work more closely with the sector as a whole to take advantage of the huge opportunity offered by sport to tackle long term youth unemployment, help drive economic activity and growth and give life changing opportunities to those young people who need them most.”

To find out more please visit www.coachcore.org.uk