This week is UK Coaching Week. At Table Tennis England, we work closely with our supportive and trusted partner UK Coaching, who have created some exceptional content to help coaches to become better, more knowledgeable, well-rounded and expert coaches.

This week, UK Coaching are delighted to launch the brand-new #DutyToCare Hub & Digital Badge. Look out for the hashtag, and also #CoachingWeek on social media.

#DutyToCare includes six ‘pillars’ and coaches can earn a ‘digital badge’ by visiting each:

• Diversity
• Inclusion
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Physical wellbeing
• Safeguarding
• Safe to practice

As coaches we all want our players to improve, have fun and learn, but above everything we want them to be safe. Whether you’re working with under-10s in an after-school club or whether you’re running an over-50s session within a U3A setting, we all have a duty of care to all of our participants.

So, please ensure you’re clicking here to make sure you’re aware of the various aspects involved in looking after our table tennis players and communities.

UK Coaching have also released a new initiative called ‘Child First Coaching’, it challenges you to a new way of thinking and can help you deliver sessions in slightly different and more effective ways. Check out it out here.

Diversity

Diversity makes us stronger and great coaches understand the value of diversity. Do you?

Learn how you can harness the power of diversity to create a thriving community with UK Coaching’s #DutyToCare Diversity pillar – earn your digital badge too.

Inclusion

As coaches, it’s our responsibility to create an environment where everyone feels valued and included. Inclusion is not just a buzzword – it’s a fundamental pillar of #DutyToCare

Coaches can break down barriers & make sport & physical activity accessible to everyone.

At Table Tennis England we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity.

Join us in championing the Inclusion pillar of #DutyToCare by earning your UK Coaching Digital Badge

Check out our five-year Diversity & Inclusion strategy – Level the Table! You can read more about it here.

Mental health and wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing should never be an afterthought. Self-care isn’t just important for our own well-being; it also allows us to better support our participants’ mental health and well-being

Discover how with UK Coaching

It’s important for all of us to keep on top of our mental health. It’s something that affects all of us, including our professional players. Liam Pitchford and singer-songwriter Zak Abel, a former Cadet table tennis champion, recently discussed mental health. You can watch the full film here.

Physical wellbeing

Sleep, diet, physical activity, hygiene, and relaxation are all factors that impact our physical well-being. As coaches, we can help our participants make positive choices to improve their overall health and performance

Learn how to help your participants feel comfortable, healthy, and happy by supporting them with sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Visit the #DutyToCare hub and earn your digital badge.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a non-negotiable part of coaching. Whether you’re coaching children or adults, we have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for those we coach.

This Friday is #ChildhoodDay, and there’s no better time to talk about safeguarding

Learn how to enhance your safeguarding practices with UK Coaching.

We have recently released our own, free safeguarding course available to those that are members of Table Tennis England.

“This course is crucial training for all adults involved in table tennis. I am delighted that this is free for our members as it supports our continued commitment to safeguarding,” says Table Tennis England Safeguarding & Disciplinary Manager, Judy Rogers.

This is a renewal course only, you’ll need to have sat a physical course first

To find out more about this course, click here.

Safe to practice

Looking to ensure your coaching practice operates safely and effectively while promoting participant well-being? The safety and well-being of our participants should always come first

Enhance your coaching practice with the resources in the brand-new #DutyToCare Safe to Practice pillar from UK Coaching

Join the movement and learn how to provide a safe and inclusive environment for your participants, and earn your digital badge.

We also like to take this opportunity to give an additional shout out to our amazing coaches around the country. We’d like to give a special mention to:

• Teresa Bennett, Female Club Volunteer of the year, from Brighton TTC.
• Tajudeen Alao (Ivring TTC) for being awarded the Male Volunteer of the year.
• Nicholas Walker (Banbury & District TTA) for being awarded the Young Male League Volunteer of the Year.
• Richard Sinclair (Worthing TTC) for being awarded the Male Club Volunteer of the year.

You can read more about all our winners here.

Thank you to you all for being involved in this dedicated week to coaching, coaches and all better ourselves. A huge thank to UK Coaching for creating this awareness, developing great content, courses and education. It’s incredibly important that we all keep pushing our skills and knowledge as coaches, so keep seeking those new opportunities.

If you want to educate yourself with table tennis, then check out our courses here.