Community activator coach / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

This is not the latest approved version of this apprenticeship. View the latest version

This apprenticeship is in revision

This revised version of this apprenticeship has been agreed and is available for information only. It will be approved for delivery and replace the current version for new starts following a notice period that will be decided when the revised funding band is agreed.

Key information

Status: Standard in development
Proposal approved

Occupational standard approved

End-point assessment plan approved

Funding approved
Reference: ST0478
Level: 2
Typical duration to gateway: 18 months
Typical EPA period: 3 months
Route: Health and science
Integration: None
Date updated: 04/04/2025
Lars code: 215
EQA provider: Ofqual
Example progression routes:
- Community sport and health officer,
- Sports coach
Review: this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.

Occupation summary
Occupation duties
Knowledge
Skills
Behaviours
Qualifications
Professional recognition
Version log

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in sport for social change charities, local authorities, sports clubs, leisure centres, after school clubs, youth work organisations, housing associations and outdoor education centres.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to improve the health and wellbeing of the nation and provide a positive environment which supports people to grow and develop through sport and physical activity. Community Activator Coaches do this by promoting, delivering and coaching fun, inclusive and engaging activities that help whole communities adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with managers and collaborates with colleagues within their organisation. They also interact with other professionals and organisations working with the local community, such as youth workers, teachers, community agencies and health workers.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for delivering and adapting sport and physical activity sessions, promoting their benefits, and engaging local communities. It involves acting as a positive role model to build rapport with diverse individuals and communities especially those who are young, inactive, or from low-income and marginalised communities.

The role also involves personal, professional development and is a flexible one in which an individual can expect to work varied and unsociable hours, including evenings, weekends and school holidays.

Occupation duties

Duty	KSBs
Duty 1 Plan, deliver, adapt and review sport and physical activity sessions that encourage individual and community participation while managing participants' behaviour.	K1 K2 K4 K5 K6 K7 K9 K13 K14 K18 K19 K21 K22 S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S9 S22 B1 B3 B4
Duty 2 Use a variety of approaches to promote the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity.	K2 K3 K6 K9 K10 K14 K20 S1 S2 S3 S4 S8 S9 S10 S11 S14 B1 B2 B4 B5
Duty 3 Engage individuals and local communities to participate in sport and physical activity.	K2 K8 K10 K11 K20 K22 S3 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S14 S22 B3 B4 B5
Duty 4 Handle data and information and use digital technology.	K1 K5 K7 K12 K13 S12 S13
Duty 5 Operate within legal and ethical frameworks relevant to promoting and safeguarding the public's health and wellbeing.	K7 K10 K11 K15 K16 K18 K21 S8 S15 S17 S18 S21
Duty 6 Take responsibility for personal and professional development in line with organisational protocol.	K3 K4 K8 K9 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 S6 S7 S10 S15 S16 S17 S19 S20 S21 B4 B5
Duty 7 Work alongside services and other community organisations to improve individuals' health and fitness.	K3 K4 K7 K12 K17 K22 S6 S11 S16 S22
Duty 8 Act as a positive role model and build a rapport with individuals and communities from a variety of backgrounds to engage in sport and physical activity.	K4 K5 K6 K17 K19 S6 S8 S14 S15 S20 B2 B3
Duty 9 Dealing with challenges and problems and who to report to.	K22 S22

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The benefits of a healthy lifestyle and physical activity for individuals and communities. Back to Duty

K2: Tools and techniques to encourage individuals participation, motivation and behaviour changes. Back to Duty

K3: The structure of a session plan and how to plan inclusive, safe and effective sessions. Back to Duty

K4: Ways to plan, follow, adapt and deliver sessions based on participants needs and feedback. Back to Duty

K5: Coaching styles used for different participant needs and motivations. Back to Duty

K6: The value of developing a lifelong activity habit. Back to Duty

K7: Techniques to build rapport with participants. Back to Duty

K8: Tasks involved before, during and after a community activity. Back to Duty

K9: Personal and societal barriers to participation and strategies to address them. Back to Duty

K10: Ways of managing individuals' behaviours within a group setting. Back to Duty

K11: Ways to work collaboratively with services and other community organisations to run events that make the best use of resources. Back to Duty

K12: Ways to record and safely store data and information, in line with legislation and organisational policies and procedures. Back to Duty

K13: Safe and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and how digital technology can be used to deliver messages to participant groups. Back to Duty

K14: Different communication methods and how to adapt them to meet the needs of participants and groups. Back to Duty

K15: Principles of safeguarding and protection for vulnerable adults within own scope of role and in line with organisational protocols. Back to Duty

K16: Legislation and organisational policies relating to equity, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

K17: Positive impact of sport and physical activity on mental health and wellbeing for self and participants. Back to Duty

K18: Health and safety legislation, regulations, risk assessment procedures, guidelines and procedures relevant to own role. Back to Duty

K19: Importance of personal and professional development. Back to Duty

K20: Responsibility and accountability in maintaining professional boundaries in role. Back to Duty

K21: Processes to monitor and review effectiveness of activity sessions. Back to Duty

K22: Principles of handling challenges and problems and assist in the resolution. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and physical activity for individuals and communities. Back to Duty

S2: Encourage individuals' participation, motivation and to change their behaviour towards sport or physical activity. Back to Duty

S3: Contribute to inclusive, safe and effective sessions. Back to Duty

S4: Plan, follow, adapt, and deliver session plans, based on participant needs and feedback. Back to Duty

S5: Use coaching styles for sport or physical activity sessions meeting the participants needs and motivations. Back to Duty

S6: Promote the benefits of a lifelong activity habit. Back to Duty

S7: Use techniques to build rapport with participants. Back to Duty

S8: Carry out the tasks required before, during and after a community activity. Back to Duty

S9: Support participants to overcome personal or societal barriers. Back to Duty

S10: Manage individuals' behaviours within a group setting. Back to Duty

S11: Work collaboratively with services and other community organisations to run events that make the best use resources. Back to Duty

S12: Record and store data and information, in line with legislation and organisational policies and procedures. Back to Duty

S13: Use suitable digital technology to deliver targeted messages to participant groups. Back to Duty

S14: Adapt communication methods to meet the needs of participants and groups. Back to Duty

S15: Identify and respond to safeguarding concerns within own scope of role and in line with organisational protocols. Back to Duty

S16: Support equity, diversity and inclusion in line with legislation and organisational policies. Back to Duty

S17: Support the mental health and wellbeing of self and participants. Back to Duty

S18: Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, risk assessment procedures, guidelines and procedures. Back to Duty

S19: Participate in personal and professional development. Back to Duty

S20: Maintain professional boundaries within scope of own role. Back to Duty

S21: Monitor and review the effectiveness of activity sessions. Back to Duty

S22: Assist with the resolution of challenges and problems. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Adaptable and organised. Back to Duty

B2: Act as a positive role model when delivering activities. Back to Duty

B3: Work effectively as part of a team and use own initiative during activities. Back to Duty

B4: Build professional relationships. Back to Duty

B5: Committed to own professional development. Back to Duty

Qualifications

English and Maths

English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity for Affiliate Member

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

Version log

Version	Change detail	Earliest start date	Latest start date
Revised version awaiting implementation		Not set	Not set
1.2	End-point assessment plan revised	21/12/2023	Not set
1.1	Standard and end-point assessment plan revised	13/11/2023	20/12/2023
1.0	Approved for delivery	15/12/2017	12/11/2023

Employers involved in creating the standard: Active Essex, British Cycling, Sport England, Bourne Leisure, Leicester City Council, Manchester Council, 2nd Chance, StreetGames, Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, British Heart Foundation, National Centre, Royal Society for Public Health, Sporting Futures, Salford Community Leisure, Link4Life, CIMSPA, Chorley Council
Other stakeholders involved in creating the standard: Lifetime awarding , Aspire sports

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Community activator coach