Essential Skills Course

The Community Coaching – Essential Skills Course helps coaches create fun, safe and inclusive environments for participants.

This award-winning course has been designed so coaches can learn at their own pace and complete 8 modules anytime, anywhere, on any device.

THIS ONLINE COURSE IS:

FREE
FOR ALL SPORTS

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Select your sport or all other sports to access the Community Coaching – Essential Skills Course.

ALL OTHER SPORTS

Related resources

Download the coaching plan template and create your own personalised coaching plan as you progress through the Essential Skills Course.

Select each module below for links to related resources and more templates to complement your learning in each course topic.

Safeguarding in sport

Protecting everyone in sport

Module 1 - Safeguarding in sport

Protecting everyone in sport

1800 Respect – providing information, support and assistance for sexual assault, domestic and family violence and counselling services.
Beyond Blue – providing support, advice and action for anxiety or depression.
Australian Sport Directory | Sport Australia - contains contact details of national sporting organisations [NSOs] and national sporting organisations for people with disability [NSODs] recognised as the per-eminent body of development of their sport in Australia.
Child Safeguarding in Sport Induction Course | Sport Integrity Australia – providing the foundation knowledge and education required to understand and implement the Child Safeguarding Policy
Concussion in Sport Australia | Sport Australia – information and resources on concussion in sport.
Education | Sport Integrity Australia – education resources about sport integrity for all levels of athletes, their parents, teachers, coaches and support personnel.
Kids Helpline – providing information, support and assistance for young Australians needing counselling or crisis support.
Lifeline – providing information, crisis support and assistance who is experiencing a personal crisis, contemplating suicide or caring for someone in crisis.
Making Sport inclusive, safe, and fair | Play by the Rules – online training courses for a wide range of subject areas.
Make an Integrity Complaint or report | Sport Integrity Australia – information on how to submit an integrity complaint or report.
MensLine Australia – providing information, crisis support and assistance to men and counselling services.

Who you coach

Engagement

Module 2 - Who you coach

Engagement

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Sport | Clearinghouse for Sport – information and resources on how sport can break down barriers and assist with entry into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
AIS Female Performance & Health Initiative | AIS – education and resources relating to key female performance and health considerations.
Australian Coach Toolkit | Inclusion Alliance – providing coaches with a brief resource to assist in achieving successful and inclusive outcomes at all levels of their sport.
Classification | Paralympics Australia – information on classification for Para-sport competition.
Coaching Considerations for Female Athletes Online Course | AIS - increase your knowledge regarding health and performance considerations when coaching female athletes
Creating an IGBTI+ Inclusive Club | Play by the Rules – is a free, interactive online training course on creating an IGBTI+ Inclusive Club for coaches.
Disability Inclusion for Coaches Online Course | Inclusion Alliance Australia Course – online course providing practice tools and tips on basic skills and knowledge to be a more inclusive coach of people with disability in sport and active recreation programs and activities.
Inclusion Alliance Australia Website – a collaborative partnership between Sport Inclusion Australia, Deaf Sports Australia and Blind Sports Australia, which maximises resources, expertise and vast experience over many years working to improve the lives of people with a disability through sport.
Inclusive Sport Academy | Special Olympics Australia an online learning platform that assists learners to enhance their skills and abilities to deliver sporting programs for people with intellectual disabilities or autism.
Inclusive Sport Framework | Sport Australia – resources in creating positive, inclusive experiences for everyone who wants to participate.
Para-sport Coaching | Paralympics Australia – resources to assist coaches who are working with Para-participants or Para-athletes.
Trans and Gender Diverse Inclusion | Sport Australia - information and resources to support everyone participating in sport, regardless of their sex or gender identity.
This Girl Can | VicHealth – understanding women’s motivations to be involved in sport.

Where you coach

Space, equipment, and facilities

Module 3 - Where you coach

Space, equipment, and facilities

Concussion in Sport Australia | Sport Australia – information and resources on concussion in sport.
COVID Safe Sport | Sport Australia - Sport Australia, in partnership with the State and Territory Agencies for Sport and Recreation have compiled a list of websites with the most up to date information to help sporting organisations undertake competitions and programs in a safe, responsible, and low risk manner.

What you coach

Session planning and preparation

Module 4 - What you coach

Session planning and preparation

Coaching plan template - create your own personalised coaching plan as you progress through the Essential Skills Course.
Session Plan Template – download a template to assist with designing your session plan.
Session Plan Example – download a session plan example to assist with designing your session plan.
Nurturing a Child’s Sporting Development | Sport Australia – top 10 tips to nurture and support a child’s sporting development.
Physical literacy | Sport Australia – the Australian Physical Literacy Framework providing resources and information on building the skills, knowledge and behaviours that provide participants with confidence and motivation.
Playing for Life | Sport Australia – fun and active games to develop children’s skills, confidence and lifelong interest in sport.
Sport Ability | Sport Australia - inclusive activity cards for all levels of ability designed to develop children’s skills, confidence and motivation for sports-based activities.
Yulunga Traditional Indigenous Games – suitable for children and adults of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, Yulunga can be used in schools around Australia as an educational resource as as a guide to inclusive, structure sport within communities.

How you connect

Communication

Module 5 - How you connect

Communication

Communication Tips | Deaf Sports Australia – links to downloadable resources to support coaches to communicate to participants who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Disability Inclusion for Coaches Online Course | Inclusion Alliance Australia Course – online course providing practice tools and tips on basic skills and knowledge to be a more inclusive coach of people with disability in sport and active recreation programs and activities.
Education | Sport Integrity Australia –education resources about sport integrity for all levels of athletes, their parents, teachers, coaches and support personnel.
Inclusive in Sports Coaching Resource | Inclusion Alliance – a brief resource has been developed to assist coaches to achieve successful inclusion outcomes at all levels of the sport.
Making Sport inclusive, safe, and fair | Play by the Rules – online training courses for a wide range of subject areas.
Para-sport Coaching | Paralympics Australia – resources to assist coaches who are working with Para-participants or Para-athletes.
This Girl Can | VicHealth – understanding women’s motivations to be involved in sport.

How you engage and organise

Stakeholder management

Module 6 - How you engage and organise

Stakeholder management

Influencing and engaging volunteers | Clearinghouse for Sport – outlines a number of factors that either motivate or provide barriers to volunteer participation.
Sport-Volunteering-National-Plan

How you deliver

Group management

Module 7 - How you deliver

Group management

Disability Inclusion for Coaches Online Course | Inclusion Alliance Australia Course – online course providing practice tools and tips on basic skills and knowledge to be a more inclusive coach of people with disability in sport and active recreation programs and activities.
Education | Sport Integrity Australia – education resources about sport integrity for all levels of athletes, their parents, teachers, coaches and support personnel.
Making Sport inclusive, safe, and fair | Play by the Rules – online training courses for a wide range of subject areas.
Playing for Life | Sport Australia – fun and active games to develop children’s skills, confidence and lifelong interest in sport.
Sport Ability | Sport Australia - inclusive activity cards for all levels of ability designed to develop children’s skills, confidence and motivation for sports-based activities.
This Girl Can | VicHealth – understanding women’s motivations to be involved in sport.
Yulunga Traditional Indigenous Games – suitable for children and adults of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, Yulunga can be used in schools around Australia as an educational resource as as a guide to inclusive, structure sport within communities.

How you improve

Self-reflection and Assessment

Module 8 - How you improve

Self-reflection and assessment

Coaching plan template - create your own personalised coaching plan as you progress through the Essential Skills Course.

Essential skills resource links

More information

Sport Australia has partnered with Sport Integrity Australia to incorporate important safeguarding content in the course. The Safeguarding Sport module educates coaches on how to protect themselves and their participants, by helping coaches understand how to act, speak and behave in line with current community expectations.

For sport-specific training and support for coaches, please contact your national sporting organisation.

It has replaced the General Principles Course.

For more information about embedding the modern coaching approach in your sporting organisation, contact the Sport Australia Coaching Team at coaching@ausport.gov.au

COVID-19

SPORTS NUTRITION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

GRANTS AND FUNDING

CAREER AND EDUCATION

HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

COVID-19

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

PARTICIPATION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

CAREER AND EDUCATION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

GRANTS AND FUNDING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

COVID-19

GOVERNANCE

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

SPORT INDUSTRY

GRANTS AND FUNDING

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

CLUB DEVELOPMENT

CAREER AND EDUCATION

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT

SPORTS NUTRITION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

COVID-19

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

CAREER AND EDUCATION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

SPORTS NUTRITION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

COVID-19

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

SPORTS NUTRITION

CAREER AND EDUCATION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Community Coaching

Essential Skills Course

THIS ONLINE COURSE IS:

SIGN UP

Related resources

More information