The British Esports Federation (British Esports) announced this week that it has launched new esports coaching and safeguarding courses in collaboration with UK Coaching, 1st4sport, NSPCC, UNICEF UK, and the National Crime Agency. In case you are not familiar with the organization, British Esports is a national body for esports in the United Kingdom.
The aim of the new Coach Development Framework and learning programs is to “elevate professional standards in esports coaching and safeguarding with the help of partners such as UK Coaching (an independent representative body for coaches in the UK) and its awarding organization, 1st4sport, as well as the National Crime Agency (whose mission statement is to lead the UK in the “fight to cut serious and organised crime”), and children’s charities UNICEF UK and the NSPCC. The first programs to come out of these partnerships will be the “Duty to Care in Esports” and “Introduction to Esports Coaching.”
“While the esports industry has successful coaches linked to specific game titles, unlike traditional sport, it does not currently have globally recognised professional standards for esports coaches and leaders,” said Tom Dore, VP, British Esports Federation. “Nor does it have suitable expectations around safeguarding and protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults when they are playing esports. The esports industry must do all it can to support and protect every member of our community. All stakeholders within the industry must understand their individual and collective responsibilities in achieving this.”
The Duty to Care in Esports program is described as a free online learning program that focuses on the “moral and ethical responsibilities of all stakeholders in the esports industry by developing essential knowledge to build safer, healthier, and more inclusive esports environments.” The program focuses on seven pillars—safeguarding, child rights, online safety, cyber choices, mental health, EDI (equality, diversity, and inclusion), and health & wellbeing. The program was created with input from UNICEF UK, NSPCC, and the National Crime Agency.
The Introduction to Esports Coaching program is endorsed and certified by UK Coaching, the only independent representative body for coaches in the UK, and 1st4sport. The program aims to provide esports coaches of all skill and experience levels with education on effective coaching principles and practices, help identify players’ motivations and their existing skill levels, and offer ways to improve their skills and understanding.
More details about these new programs can be found here.