A lucky apprentice from Coach Core’s Team Essex had the opportunity to meet royalty at the first Royal Foundation Forum on Thursday 1 March.
Coach Core, part of the Royal Foundation, is run by Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is an apprenticeship programme aimed at improving the availability and quality of sports coaching.
The Foundation Forum, welcomed new patron Meghan Markle, and celebrated the success of various projects over the last year with the theme ‘Making a Difference’.
The National Coach Core programme has led to over 25,000 coaching sessions and 99% of Coach Core graduates are now in full time employment, education or training.
The day also included a keynote speech from the Duchess of Cambridge as well as panel discussion on ‘Empowering People’.
Active Essex was the first County Sports Partnership to take the lead as a county wide, multi-partner Coach Core programme, and it is part of their four-year strategy to change one million lives by getting Essex active.
The programme offers apprentices an opportunity to develop practical skills through coaching sessions and work placements. This is combined with an educational emphasis, providing apprentices with the necessary skills and relevant qualifications to pursue a career within the sports and leisure sector.
Samie Jaleel from Brentwood was one of the Coach Core Apprentices that has been ‘making a difference’ during his apprenticeship at Brentwood Leisure Trust. He was involved in the development of the Fit and Fed programme – aimed at overcoming holiday hunger faced by young people living in areas of deprivation.
Samie Jaleel, aged 21, said: “I’m very happy to have had the chance to make a difference in my local community and to share my experiences with other apprentices at the Royal Foundation Forum. It was such an honour to meet the royals and learn more about the work of the Royal Foundation.
“The Coach Core programme has given me the opportunity to gain a range of skills and experience which will allow me to start my career within the sports and leisure sector.”
Louise Voyce, Coach Core Project Lead at Active Essex, said, “It was really inspiring to be part of the first Royal Foundation Forum, highlighting what a real difference Coach Core can make to not only those who join the scheme as apprentices, but to the young people who are supported by our apprentices.”
For more information about Active Essex please visit: www.activeessex.org.
