The University of Birmingham and Warwickshire Cricket Foundation have worked in partnership to produce a toolkit designed to help and inspire coaches who work with women from ethnically diverse backgrounds to improve their physical and mental health.
In conjunction with the Cricket Cities Programme, an ECB scheme created to help engage with ethnically diverse communities through cricket, this project aims to offer women from within that demographic the opportunities to participate in physical activity.
The toolkit gives guidance on how to best create a supportive, inclusive environment in which all who attend and take part in sessions are made to feel welcome and comfortable.
Ultimately, the project underlines the significance of every interaction between coach and participant and it reinforces the responsibility coaches have to support women so that they make positive healthy lifestyle changes that could support positive mental and physical health.
Through the use of the toolkit, entitled Beyond the Boundary and which was developed through the voices of the women the programme intends to serve, coaches employed to oversee sessions in this programme will be suitably equipped to serve the needs of those taking part and hopefully increase regular attendance.
The toolkit covers coaching and mentorship in its various facets; it delves deeper into the numerous benefits of participating in sport for both physical and mental advantages.
Also included are case studies of an existing coach and participant, who outline the importance of having coaches from all backgrounds so that participants who might otherwise feel nervous about joining in at a session can be made to feel comfortable.
The toolkit also includes more logistical information, such as at which venues the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation-run, female-only, sessions can be found around Birmingham and when they take place in the week, as well as sessions that children could attend, ensuring childcare is not a barrier to participation.
Coaches, as a part of the toolkit, will also be able to help participants plan their journeys to sessions across the city by scanning a QR code to access the Transport for West Midlands Journey Planner.
Through the research, coaches discussed wanting more autonomy when promoting their sessions. In the toolkit, coaches are given both encouragement and advice; the toolkit appropriately outlines the importance of the role the coaches themselves play when it comes to growing and promoting the forthcoming sessions through word of mouth, as well as understanding how best to communicate that promotion.
There are also very useful suggestions which can be put into practice during any given session, from the perspective of a coach - these are both verbal tips, such as how to use encouraging phrases in a variety of languages, and practical, cricket-specific, recommendations to be enforced in the sessions.
Jess Ward, the Foundation’s Women and Girls’ Community Manager, said: “We are really excited to put the toolkit into action with our coaches across the Cricket Cities project.
“This will provide them with an insight into their importance at sessions and why every conversation matters.
“We will begin to measure usage and impact of the toolkit to determine how we can continue to increase participation among ethnically diverse participants.”
Dr Katie Garstang, a physical activity participation researcher at the University of Birmingham, added: "This project demonstrates the value of bringing together research, community voices and practice.
“Working in partnership with Warwickshire Cricket Foundation allowed us to create a resource that reflects the realities and needs of the women it is designed to support.
“We wanted this toolkit to move beyond simply identifying barriers and instead provide coaches with practical actions they can take to support women from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“Coaches have a powerful influence on whether individuals feel comfortable attending, returning to and engaging in sport, and we hope this resource gives them the confidence and tools to create more inclusive environments where more women can experience the physical, mental and social benefits of being active."
The sessions, as a part of the project which will be staffed by Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, take place across Birmingham - from Edgbaston Stadium itself, to Perry Barr, Ward End and Moseley Sixth Form, and on various weekdays and weekends, many throughout the winter months.
You can view the toolkit in full by visiting the University of Birmingham website here. We would like to thank all involved and our funders: The University of Birmingham, Centre-UB, ESRC, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, Jenko Illustrations and all community members and organisations that took part and supported this project.
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