Through a new free online Activation Academy, assistant coaches and instructors, community leaders and volunteers will be able to access training so that they can safely support their community in becoming more active.

Funded through Sport England’s Commonwealth Active Communities Fund (CAC) and using the 2022 Commonwealth Games as a catalyst to encourage more people to get active, the Black Country Activation Academy is aimed at people in the Black Country who either are already supporting their communities in getting active – such as coaches/instructors or community leaders - or those wishing to volunteer their time to encouraging people to get active.

The Activation Academy will enable people to build their confidence, gain an understanding of what physical activity is on offer, develop their safeguarding knowledge, and understand more about equality-diversity-inclusivity.

The initial courses on the site are just a start and the team will be learning from and working with partners to get more support added all the time. Amanda Tomlinson, Chair of the Active Black Country Board said:

“Our aim is to get the Black Country moving and to do that we need to work with our community leaders. Through the Activation Academy we hope to support local leaders who are already inspiring and motivating our communities.

“We are encouraging anyone involved in delivering or supporting physical activity to take a look at the website and sign up to one of our free courses or workshops so we can help build their confidence and skills to deliver.”

The Activation Academy is part of the Creating an Active Black Country strategy which is aimed at creating a Black Country where all ages, abilities and backgrounds are able to be more active, move and play sport, underpinned by a People Plan which focuses on supporting the Black Country Physical Activity Workforce, the local leaders who will deliver the Strategy.

The Activation Academy aims to help all the people and partners who have a role in tackling the inequalities that prevent Black Country people from being active to build their confidence and skills so everyone from volunteers to the physical activity workforce feel supported to deliver.