STA is working in partnership with The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport, fitness and physical activity sector and has been awarded chartered status by the Privy Council. CIMSPA provides leadership, support and empowerment for professionals working in sport and physical activity and is the strategic lead for professional development in the sector.
CIMSPA has been tasked by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), backed by Sport England and employers, with leading the sport and physical activity sectors workforce development programme. This will be achieved by creating a clear and rigorous set of employer-led standards for all sport and exercise professionals, with a similar clear and rigorous system for assessment, awarding and validating qualifications.
CIMSPA is recognised as the authoritative, single unified voice for the sector by government departments, key agencies and partners, including Sport England, Public Health England, ukactive, Sport and Recreation Alliance, Sporta and CLOA. The institute has membership options for everyone working in, or interested in working in, the sport and physical activity world – from student and apprentice through to service director and CEO. CIMSPA already provides a route to chartered status for those working in leisure operations, and is developing similar routes for the whole of the sector.
STA will play a key role in working groups tasked with defining new professional standards for aquatics-based job roles within our sector. This will help to ensure that STA’s qualifications remain at the very forefront of both employers’ and learners’ needs along with continuing to develop a quality CPD programme to allow learners to progress in their careers.
About CIMSPA Affiliate Membership
As part of the STA’s partnership with CIMSPA, every learner successfully completing the STA Level 2 Certificate in Teaching Swimming will have the opportunity to benefit from 12 months free CIMSPA Affiliate Membership*, usually costing £30. The benefits of CIMSPA membership include:
- Recognition of your earned status and a statement of how your professionalism translates into employability.
- Personal member logo for use on business cards, online portfolios etc.
- Online access to S&PA Professional, the quarterly CIMSPA magazine
- Access to the CIMSPA online library and policy guidance collection, including access to the magazine archive
- CIMSPA member bulletin – a carefully curated selection of sector reports, guidance, useful resources and news, sent fortnightly
- Members area access on CIMSPA’s website
- Access to the latest sector job vacancy information
- Free access to selected CIMSPA nation/region CPD and networking events
- Access to discounted insurance
- Online record of professional development, providing evidence of competence and an up-to-date skillset (coming in 2017)
- Access to CIMSPA’s eLearning package containing a wide variety of online activities to aid with continuing CPD (coming late 2016)
To take advantage of this amazing offer, please apply online through CIMSPA’s application form. You will need to have a scanned copy of your certificate available to upload when you apply. Please note: applications must be received within 3 months of the date on your certificate to be eligible.
If you have any queries relating to CIMSPA membership, please feel free to contact a member of the CIMSPA team via email at info@cimspa.co.uk or telephone 01509 226474.
* For new members only. Individuals must either be employed or seeking employment in a front-line role in order to benefit from 12 months free CIMSPA Affiliate Membership.