The FA Launches Female Coaching Club Placement Programme to Boost Diversity in Women’s Football

The Football Association (FA) has announced a groundbreaking coaching placement programme aimed at diversifying the women’s football coaching landscape. Through a new partnership with six FA Women’s National League (FA WNL) clubs, the initiative will offer female coaches from underrepresented groups a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on coaching experience in the women’s game, alongside professional development resources and mentoring.

The programme aligns with The FA’s commitment to ensure coaching teams across all levels reflect the diversity of society, part of the broader ‘Reaching Higher’ strategy targeting 2024 to 2028. Each of the six selected applicants will be placed with an FA WNL club, where they’ll gain season-long, part-time volunteer experience under the guidance of the club’s Head of Coaching.

Embracing Diversity in Coaching

By prioritising applicants from Black, Asian, Mixed, and other ethnic backgrounds, as well as those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the programme aims to address the limited diversity among coaches in women’s football. This approach is intended to nurture a pipeline of talented female coaches who represent a broader spectrum of society, ultimately enriching the game.

The clubs participating in this year’s programme include:

• Burnley – FA WNL Northern Premier Division
• Doncaster Rovers Belles – FA WNL Division One North
• Ipswich Town – FA WNL Southern Premier Division
• Lewes – FA WNL Southern Premier Division
• London Seaward – FA WNL Division One South East
• Norwich City – FA WNL Division One South East

Lucy Pearson, The FA’s Director of Education said “We’re delighted to be extending our successful Club Placement Programme into the women’s game and providing six female coaches with a unique opportunity to develop their coaching skills, which we hope will help them compete for future coaching roles."

“This initiative is another step in our long-term commitment to provide high quality learning opportunities to female coaches and for us to address the lack of coaches from historically under-represented groups across all areas of the women’s and girls’ game. We are committed to being proactive in this area to encourage and develop a diverse pipeline of coaching talent."

“We’re very grateful for the support of the selected FA Women’s National League clubs to invest their time into this programme. Having seen a number of professional clubs across the men’s game reap the rewards of the Club Placement Programme over the years, we’re excited for the clubs to get involved and to see the selected coaches realise their potential."

Application Process

Applications are open to female coaches who hold or are working towards a UEFA B Licence and meet requirements for safeguarding, first aid, and digital literacy. Interested candidates can apply by completing an application form and submitting it to liz.ward@thefa.com by 11:59 pm on Sunday, 17th November 2024. The application forms can be found on the Club Placement Programmepage of the England Football Learning website.

Programme Benefits

Participants will engage in a structured programme that includes both practical, on-the-pitch coaching and off-pitch mentoring. With an emphasis on building personal confidence and professional capability, this placement offers aspiring coaches a pathway to accelerated growth and readiness for future roles in football coaching.

For more information on the Club Placement Programme head to: https://learn.englandfootball.com/ongoing-learning/Initiatives/club-placement-programme

This programme represents a key milestone in The FA’s ongoing efforts to cultivate a coaching workforce that’s reflective of today’s diverse footballing community.