Grants for coach training?

I've recently gained my Leadership in Running Fitness qualification with UKA and am really interested in doing the Coach in Running Fitness now too as my group are starting to talk half marathons etc, and although I've done this myself, would like the backing of a bit more training to support it.

Received notification of the Coaching course running in July on Friday, but discovered that I've missed the local council grant application for sports development as they met last week and now won't meet again until August.

Does anyone know of where else to look for grants for this type of thing?  It would be a new group starting (as in an add on to my beginners group) and I can't really justify the £360 for the course fee!  Many thanks!  JT

So, you want someone else (local council tax payers, for instance) to pay for your training, because YOU can't justify doing so?

Perhaps you could pay the money, then recoup it by charging for your coaching expertise?

Janie Tri wrote (see)

Wilkie, I don't have £360 to pay out to help other people train.  I am fed up your Abusive comments.  I AM TRYING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE GET RUNNING.  Why don't you just stop wasting your time giving other people grief?

Wow!

I agree if you are charging your runners then it should be a (probably tax deductible) training expense to take out of your business.

If you arent charging then fair enough - perhaps some money might be available from your local PCT? I know they help run parkrun in Oldham for example to get people into running. 

+ 1 for what they've said.  I don't see how you can expect others to fund your training.

I am currently studying for a qualification to support SEN children in school.  I have both a degree and personal experience in the area, but require an additional qualfication. Like you, I don't really have ££££ to pay out to get this qualification.  When I do qualify, I shall be supporting SEN children, so, to use your words "I AM TRYING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE GET LEARNING" but I'm not asking anyone to pay for it, and I don't have the option of taking it as a tax deductible from a business. 

There are an awful lot of us out there, paying for training courses just to help others in some shape or form.

Janie Tri wrote (see)

Wilkie, I don't have £360 to pay out to help other people train.  I am fed up your Abusive comments.  I AM TRYING TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE GET RUNNING.  Why don't you just stop wasting your time giving other people grief?

But you say you are already helping people get running - you have a group already.  You have got people running.  You have acheived what you say you are trying to do.

But you want more training - at other people's expense? 

(ps - I don't consider giving people grief a waste of time )

I was going to leave this one be, however, I feel I need to defend myself here.

I don't get paid for coaching.  I have paid for my leadership course, CRB, equipment, affiliation fees etc out of my own pocket (membership hasn't covered this at all, which I believe is standard for all running groups/clubs).  I started my running group as I was unable to attend the local clubs as they meet at a time which is too early for me and I have two small children.

There is a need in my area for a group at the time of day I meet.  The group are all very enthusiastic and deserve a fully qualified coach.  At the moment, I cannot afford to meet the £360 fee (and my husband is unlikely to appreciate the idea of the family being over stretched financially so I can pay for the running course), and it would be months, possibly years, before any income from membership would meet this.

Our local council actively encourages, not for profit groups and provides grants for individuals to help others in these cases.  Unfortunately, I did not find out about this course until after the latest deadline and the course starts before the next panel meeting.  Another course is not planned for at least another six months in this area.

I can absolutely justify the need for someone in this area (if not me) taking this course and I feel very surprised that people have taken so harshly to the idea of someone wanting to further other runners and promote the sport.

I think most of the criticism has come from you stating that you can't justify the cost but want somebody else to pay. It also possibly comes from a misunderstanding of what you want from this.

From you last post, you do have justification for this, but perhaps can't afford it off your own back which is why you are looking for help.

Hopefully people will understand what you hope to achieve, why you want to achieve it and how you want to.

Janie Tri wrote (see)

There is a need in my area for a group at the time of day I meet.  The group are all very enthusiastic and deserve a fully qualified coach.

If that's the case, why not try local running clubs to see if they have someone who'd be prepared to coach?  If not, then seeing as a lot of us on here use the various on-line plans available, why not use one of those?  If you can't afford the training, make the most of the experience that you do have.

Thanks PoP. 

Already done Jeepers with regards to local clubs, they can't come to my sessions for the same reason I can't go to theirs.

I can see where you're going with the online plans, I've already been doing that, what I actually need is the technical know how with regards to technique, structure, helping with injuries and being able to coach properly as opposed to just presenting a session. I don't currently feel I'm doing the group justice by just using the internet.

What about the rest of us on here who don't have coaches - we get by.  I wouldn't get so hung up on it.  If you're not equipped to coach, you can't.   If it's that important to you, you'll make the effort.  If you can't, then in the meantime, just copy one of the plans, hand it to everyone, tell them that you can't coach them, but you can all follow the plan together.

Surely with all the advice floating around on the internet and between here, Fetch et al there must be enough for you to keep going as you are until someone steps into the coaching breach?  And while it's a qualification, there's a lot more to coaching than can be taught in just three days - if that's the course you mean.