The Youth Development Programme provides an opportunity for non-League clubs, in association with local colleges of further education, to offer apprenticeships to young players aged 16 to 19 and play a major part in their development.
Over a two-year period, the student-focused scheme is designed to offer players the chance to reach their full potential, both in sport and education.
Introduced by the government 10 years ago, advanced apprenticeships have allowed more than 200,000 young people to develop their skills in industry. The Football Conference scheme aims to extend these apprenticeships to the world of football. For the first time, students’ final qualification (NVQ) will be influenced as much by their excellence in football performance as by their academic achievements.
Navigator’s key tasks as managers of the programme will be to:
• Advise on the recruitment of players and coaches
• Negotiate with colleges for the delivery of the academic elements
• Monitor performance of the scheme and ensure compliance with government guidelines
• Help students attain their goals
For Navigator Education, Ted Copeland will fill the role of project director. Ted was previously a regional coach for the FA and a successful manager of the England women’s team. He was also Sports Academies’ manager of East Durham and Houghall Community College, where he set up highly-acclaimed academies in nine different sports, including soccer.
Graham Morgan, chairman of Navigator Educational Services, said: “This is a high profile contract that further reinforces our strength in grassroots sports. It is a great opportunity for us to further develop our reputation in the sports and education arena. The conference deal will provide a strong foundation to roll out similar programmes which will encompass the women’s game as well as other sports.”
Navigator Educational Services is a division of Navigator: The Sports Business, limited. It advises clients on investing in sport as part of an overall marketing strategy.
Its team includes Glen Kirton OBE, tournament director for Euro 96, Gerard Corcoran, a sports marketing consultant for the past eight years, and Graham Morgan, formerly head of sport at adidas UK.
