This guide is designed to facilitate the creation of the ICOACHGIRLS programs that support women in coaching, by providing nine elements relating to women in coaching for delivery partners to consider. These elements are not meant to be overly prescriptive - they are purposely generic as they are meant to be applied in relevant ways across national and local contexts. However, the overarching elements should be considered in the design of programs focusing on female coaches.

This guide is, in alignment with other guides of ICOACHGIRLS programs, structured around the Youth Sport Compass, a tried and tested framework that provides direction on how to create a positive and safe sports climate. It is built on four evidence-based pillars: the development-oriented, the motivational, the caring and the socially safe climate. Attention must be paid to all four pillars in order to achieve the best climate in youth sport. This approach is considered useful for creating an optimal climate for women in coaching as well.

In this guide, each element is introduced and explained, and brought to life with some practical recommendations. We start by introducing the Youth Sport Compass and then map the 9 women in coaching elements onto this compass.

The 9 women in coaching elements are:

DEVELOPMENT-ORIENTED

1. Focus on empowering female coaches

2. Provide clear pathways for development

MOTIVATIONAL

3. Offer support and remove barriers

4. Use role-models

CARING

5. Support relationships and networks

6. Provide mentoring programs

7. Help administrators to understand female coaches’ needs

SOCIALLY SAFE

8. Create a positive and inclusive environment

9. Resist biases and stereotyping

You can DOWNLOAD THE FULL GUIDE HERE or via the dowloads section below.

You can also access and download the executive summary of this guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Hungarian and Lithuanian. Simply click the language and jump right in.