Throughout the TASS network, it’s the practitioners who deliver support directly to athletes. Developing these practitioners is integral to TASS.

TASS works alongside a national network of performance sport experts to provide support services to talented athletes in education. To ensure the quality and consistency of the support offered, we maintain close contact with our practitioners and offer opportunities for them to develop new skills and gain extra qualifications. We’re dedicated to developing the network and the social, technical and applied knowledge of our practitioners in order to better support our student athletes.

This is achieved through training courses and workshops which are designed to enhance the practitioners’ knowledge and skills in supporting athletes in education. These practices contribute to the continuing professional development (CPD) of our practitioners and ensure that they can practice safely, effectively and legally. The CPD programme is free and open to practitioners working with TASS athletes (including TDS, WSL, NGB).

Current CPD events/workshops

Throughout 2023/24, TASS is hosting a number of CPD opportunities, including the following:

  • 26/04/23 Full day event - Strength & Conditioning CPD Day - Leeds Beckett University
  • 03/05/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Integrated Working in Professional Cricket. Lessons from S&C and Nutrition
  • 10/05/23 19:00 - 20:30 - Preparing Athletes for Competition
  • 17/05/23 13:00 - 14:00 - Social Learning Session: Boccia focus for Personal Development/Lifestyle practitioners
  • 06/06/23 09:30 - 12:45 - High Impact Communication
  • 08/06/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Preventing and Managing Injuries on the Slopes
  • 27/06/23 13:45 - 17:00 - High Impact Communication
  • 10/08/23 13:00 - 14:00 - Pre-season planning for S&C
  • 30/08/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Developing your practice, reputation and impact: Exploring what helps you stand out from the crowd
  • 11/09/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (September): Session 1 - Introduction, framework, stress container
  • 15/09/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (September): Session 2 - Mental Health continuum, supporting anxiety, traumatic events, eating disorders and self-harm
  • 18/09/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (September): Session 3 - Supporting depression, suicide, psychosis
  • 19/09/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Supporting Athlete Mental Health
  • 22/09/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (September): Session 4 - Boundaries of MHFA, recovery, sports cultures and athletic identity
  • 05/10/23 09:00 - 16:00 - Physio CPD @ Manchester University - Trust the Brain, Not Just the Sprain
  • 10/10/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Effective relationships & multi-disciplinary impact
  • 17/10/23 11:00 - The same but different: Opportunities, challenges and considerations when providing performance service support to athletes from smaller communities - before, during and after they escape! (online)
  • 23/10/23 11:00 - 12:00 - Social Learning Session: What we learnt from the TASS conference and how we are going to put into practice?
  • 07/11/23 11:00 - 12:00 - An Introduction to Neurodiversity in Sport
  • 04/12/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (December): Session 1 - Introduction, framework, stress container
  • 08/12/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (December): Session 2 - Mental Health continuum, supporting anxiety, traumatic events, eating disorders and self-harm
  • 11/12/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (December): Session 3 - Supporting depression, suicide, psychosis
  • 15/12/23 09:15 - 12:00 - Mental Health First Aid (December): Session 4 - Boundaries of MHFA, recovery, sports cultures and athletic identity
tass

Investing in our Practitioners

We are often adding CPD workshops to this list of opportunities, please check back.

Lifestyle Education Courses

‘Lifestyle’ is recognised as an important support service, enabling athletes to balance sport with their life. In order to raise awareness of, and develop skills in the area of Lifestyle support, TASS have developed an education pathway. It may be that you simply want to broaden your understanding of the area, or that you’re considering becoming a Lifestyle Advisor. Have a look at the courses we have on offer:

  • an eLearning module for those wishing to gain greater knowledge in the area of Lifestyle Support. 
  • the Level 2 Award ‘Understanding an Athlete’s Lifestyle’ (UAL)
  • the Level 3 Certificate in ‘Athlete Personal Development and Lifestyle’ (APDL) 
  • the Level 3 Award in ‘Understanding Athlete Transitions’ (UAT)
Find Out More

TASTE (Talented Athlete Support in Transitions and Education)

In order to support more dual career athletes, TASS give sixth-form/colleges and universities the opportunity to become part of our network of dual career accredited sites. Achieving this accolade means that an institution has proven its ability to provide academic support and flexibility to its talented student athletes, as well as dual career support in the form of a workshop programme. As part of the accreditation process, a representative from each institution must complete the TASTE course, in order to become the designated Dual Career Coordinator (DCC) within their institution. The TASTE course aims to empower each DCC, build their awareness of the demands, challenges and key transitions that a dual career athlete may face, as well as facilitating the sharing of best practice around creating an environment that is aligned to the TASS Dual Career Accreditation Scheme.

If you would like more details about the TASS Dual Career Accreditation Scheme or the TASTE course, please contact kirsty.field@tass.gov.uk

Lifestyle Support

Possibly the least well-understood area of support is ‘Lifestyle’, and yet it provides the foundation for every dual-career athlete. To manage a successful dual career, balancing the demands of education/training with the commitment required to be an elite athlete, it’s essential that an athlete’s lifestyle is fit to cope.

Lifestyle advisors are key, helping athletes to become more organised, more able to identify and resolve challenges and also to pinpoint goals and understand how to achieve them. This support may be delivered in a one-2-one session, in workshops, using resources or sometimes by signposting to experts within one area.