From John Goldman
Campaign leader

INFORMATION taken from sports coach UK E-newsletter
________________________________________
UK Coaching Certificate Evolution
sports coach UK, working with Sport England and SkillsActive, has started work to scope the approach, content and timelines for a review of the UK Coaching Certificate in line with the Sector Qualifications Strategy (Coaching).

The Sector Qualifications Strategy (Coaching) provides each sport with the opportunity to review the technical content, learning approach and materials, assessment approach and workforce requirements for its programmes. In the same way it also provides an opportunity to review a number of aspects of the UK Coaching Certificate process, building on the great strides forward the UK Coaching Certificate has already made in improving coach-education standards.
The UK Coaching Certificate provides a clear, external indication of the quality of coach education within sport. The coach-education programmes of 24 sports are currently endorsed by the UK Coaching Certificate, some with multiple disciplines within the sport. The need for such a process evolved more than seven years ago, to address inconsistencies in standards and the lack of a recognisable professional framework.
There is widespread agreement as to the benefits that UK Coaching Certificate endorsement has brought to the quality of coach education in the UK. Inevitably, however, sports have identified a number of issues which have arisen with its implementation, and these need to be addressed.
A further announcement on the Review will be made as soon as further information is available

 

An update from John Goldman on the UKCC:

Many thanks for the continuing interest and support in the Campaign. Progress continues to be made, but as ever, when dealing with the authorities, at a slow pace.
 
Wishing all members well for 2010.
 
John Goldman 7th Dan UBA
Campaign leader Save Independent Judo

 

SAVE INDEPENDENT JUDO
A campaign to maintain the rights of independent judo groups

Campaign office:        
41, Willow Walk
Crediton
Devon EX17 1DD
e-mail johnuba@hotmail.co.uk


Sport England:

Greg Clements
Graham Jones
Simon McQueen

December 30 2009


Gentlemen,

When the UKCC was first mooted, the then Minister for Sport Richard Caborn said it was to be “consultative and inclusive”. It has not been. Our repeated request that independent judo be represented in the “consultative” process has been ignored. The judo UKCC was ill-thought through. It discriminates between those in the BJA and those who choose to remain independent of the NGB.

Present Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe, when referring to the relationship between the UKCC and BJA, speaks of “their (BJA) UKCC” and says “individuals teaching other judo disciplines can qualify to teach or coach the BJA discipline”.

Why would non-BJA people want to teach the “BJA discipline”? Why should they? As a national award the UKCC must be open to all on equal terms regardless of affiliation or “judo discipline”.

Mr Sutcliffe then says, “I sympathise with concerns about the impact on the long-term future of judo clubs and hope that a solution can be found”. Doesn’t quite add up, does it.

When asked what he is going to do about this issue he remains silent.

(click on Read More link below)

 

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

From John Goldman

Campaign Leader

 

In my discussions with Sport England they tell me that they are in continuing talks with DCMS regarding UKCC issues the Campaign and others have raised.

These issues are far reaching, and go beyond our insistence that there is equality and equity for all who wish to gain this national award, with access open to all on equal terms.

Other martial arts and other sports are also actively pursuing issues. Sport England is now questioning some of the recommendations of the Task Force in their report of July 2002.

When I started the Campaign four years ago Sport England were dismissive of our concerns and complaint, and our ‘recommendation’ that matters ‘went back to the drawing board’ fell on deaf ears. Sports England’s now active involvement and acknowledgement that there are real issues that need to be resolved, with the possibility of a review of the initial Task Force recommendations, on which the UKCC was progressed, sounds encouraging.

I will of course keep this Forum updated of any developments.

Good wishes,


John Goldman
 

 

CAMPAIGN UPDATE
From John Goldman

The Campaign continues its quest to ensure the rights of independent judo groups are maintained and is in continuing communication with the authorities to resolve UKCC issues.

Our demands are simple. We insist there is equality and equity for all who wish to attain the UKCC award in or out of a National Governing Body (NGB) in the case of judo the British Judo Association (BJA).

Principally we say:

1.    Non-NGB people are entitled to access the UKCC on equal terms, and without prejudice, as those in the NGB.
 

The pre-entry criteria to the judo UKCC is, for non-NGB people, discriminatory.
 

The BJA have said that those wishing to access UKCC courses must hold either (a) a BJA grade or (b) a “Grade of equivalence”.
 

This “Grade of equivalence” is designed, based on BJA syllabus, and administered by the BJA. Only when non-BJA people have successfully passed the BJA’s  ‘competence testing’ process, and been granted a “Grade of equivalence”, will they be entitled to apply to be considered as a candidate on a BJA UKCC course
 

The BJA have levied a minimum charge (there may be additional costs) of £200 for non-BJA members to take this test.
 

We say that access to the UKCC, a national award, must be open to all on equal terms.
 

In response to our complaint, the Coaching Standards Group, CSG, (sports coach UK), have said the £200 ‘competence test’ charge is, “unreasonably high”. The CEO of scUK has written to tell me that he has written to the BJA raising the CSG findings.
 

Separate to any question of costs, we have, first and foremost, called for a full enquiry into the whole issue of “competence testing”. We maintain that non-BJA people are equally as fully-qualified and competent as those in the BJA; in many instances to a greater standard.
 

2.    Fully-qualified non-NGB coaches are entitled to map over their awards to UKCC on equal terms, and without prejudice, as those in the NGB.

Our continuing insistence, and demonstration to the authorities, that there are different approaches, even ‘styles’, of judo, (the BJA have branded their judo “Olympic Judo”) has recently led to the Minister for Sport stating he recognises that there are different disciplines of judo. The Minister has confirmed that scUK have written to the BJA expressing a “strong desire” that “UKCC qualifications must be more accessible to these different disciplines of judo”.

We insist that teachers/coaches, within these now acknowledged “different disciplines” of judo in independent judo groups outside of BJA, are fully-qualified, in many instances more qualified than those in the NGB, are recognised as so, and have every right to map over their qualifications to the UKCC qualification on equal terms as those in the NGB.

I am in communication with Sport England on the above matters. Apart from the clear injustices in the way the UKCC has been developed and implemented, we say present UKCC criteria does not adhere to the core values and equality commitments of Sport England and fails to achieve the required level of Sport England’s Equality Standard.
 

Sport England has written to say they are in the process of reviewing my comments and the current procedures.
 

I will of course keep this forum posted on any developments.
 

Good wishes,
 

John Goldman
 

Campaign leader

[UPDATED 26th Feb 2009]

CAMPAIGN UPDATE
From John Goldman
Campaign leader

Firstly, thanks to all supporting the campaign; to maintain the rights of independent judo groups. Our continuing insistence that all are treated equally, in or out of the BJA, is winning through.

Initially the BJA, and Sport England, insisted that the UKCC was only for members of the BJA. We have had this rock-like policy overruled.

More recently, our complaint to the Minister of ‘competence testing’ has been dealt with in part. The Coaching Standards Groups (sports coach UK) have written to say that the £200 demanded by the BJA was “unreasonably high”.

We are of course pursuing the whole issue of ‘competence testing’, insisting that the qualifications of non-BJA judo people equally match those of members of the BJA, and in many instances are of a higher standing. We insist that fully-qualified non-BJA practitioners have a right to be treated on equal terms as those in the BJA. We also insist that provision is made for fully-qualified non-BJA teachers/coaches to map over their awards to the UKCC, as BJA coaches are able to do.