BASES members were successful in entering onto the scheme this year…

The UK Sport Fast-Track Practitioner Programme (FPP) has been developed to address the lack of opportunities for high calibre graduates to pursue a career within the high performance system and to provide them with a consolidated professional development programme which will develop a comparability and consistency of service delivery to athletes across the UK. Key elements of the programme are the development of soft skills and a thorough understanding of the High Performance system which are so critical to working effectively. It is the product of a partnership approach between UK Sport, the Home Country Sports Institutes (HCSIs), the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA), and also draws upon skills and expertise from the private sector.
The FPP is a one year scheme designed to accelerate the professional development of young practitioners who demonstrate the potential for employment within the high performance system. With continuing professional development, these individuals will develop into the next generation of high performance system practitioners. The programme is for individuals already working in the HPS in support roles who are nominated by the National Governing Bodies, Home Country Sports Institutes, British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association. In addition, Interns on the UK Sport Internship scheme, who are hosted by the aforementioned bodies, also attend the course.

The aims of the programme are as follows:

- To help develop a career path which attracts and retains high calibre graduates to the high performance system.

- To secure an increase in the number of suitably qualified practitioners working within the high performance system.

- For the intern stream; to immerse suitably qualified individuals in the high performance system, which with suitable

mentoring will fast-track the development of their knowledge and competencies for the first level of autonomous practice with elite level athletes.

- For the support stream; to provide an accelerated learning experience for identified individuals already in the high performance system

The following BASES members were successful in entering onto the scheme this year:

§ Catherine Allen

§ David Bailey

§ Michael Bourne

§ Natalie Dunman

§ Stephen Garland

§ Richard Huxford

§ Kate Jones

§ Lauren Whittaker

Congratulations to these individuals in gaining a place on this prestigious scheme.

Internship positions for this year (starting October 2006) will be advertised on the UK Sport website and in the BASES weekly e-newsletter.