Promoting cultural and linguistic equality in coaching (KKY) initiative

The purpose of the project is to promote cultural and linguistic equality for coaches with a foreign background coaching children and youth sport participants.

This is done by increasing the understanding that different cultures play in sporting activities, training athletes with a foreign background to become coaches and coaches with a foreign background to become mentors.

In 2019, the Finnish Coaches’ Association, organized a pilot coach education training for athletes with a foreign background. During the education training, it became clear that former athletes with a foreign background have different skills than Finns. Added value would be brought to Finnish sports if the number of coaches with a foreign background would be increased. Multiculturalism is constantly increasing in Finnish sports and hence there is a need for coaches with multicultural competence. Coaches from different cultural backgrounds can provide peer support to coaches and athletes with a foreign background. The KKY project is bringing multicultural expertise to the coaching of children and youth sport participants in Finland.

Objectives

1. Increasing cultural/intercultural understanding in sports, especially in the context of children and youth sports
 

2. Providing coach education in English for coaches and aspiring coaches with a foreign as well as an athletic background
 

3. Training of peer mentors for coaches with a foreign background of children and youth sports participants

Measures

1. Webinar on Understanding the role of cultural differences in sports and coaching – How to become a better coach (in Finnish and English) JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021

The topic of the Finnish Coaches' webinar series is Understanding the role of cultural differences in sports and coaching. It will be held early in the year in both Finnish and English. The webinars will be available to members in the member section, so that the webinar outcomes can be applied on a continuous basis in coach education training as well as in the coaches own environments.

2. From Athlete to Coach (AtoC) education training MAY-OCTOBER 2021

The from Athlete to Coach (AtoC) education training is organized in English to cater to the development needs of athletes and coaches with a foreign background who are coaching children and young sport participants. The AtoC education training consist of four contact study periods, assignments, application of coaching principles in own coaching environment, and a development of coaching skills as well as a written thesis. The AtoC education training runs parallel with the Finnish AtoC (ULURVA) course to offer networking opportunities and increase exchange between coaches. The education training further includes some Finnish language studies, information on the Finnish coach education system, sport and club system.

3. Mentor training SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2021

The training is conducted in English and is open to coaches with a foreign background. The mentor education develops skills to help other coaches to learn, realize, and develop their coaching expertise. Special priority is given to support coaches with a foreign background as well as to increase the quality of coaching in children and youth sports.

The from Athlete to Coach education training is carried out in cooperation with the Varala Sports Institute.