Athletes often face the challenge of combining their sport activities with education and/or work commitments. Success in sport demands intensive training and participation in competitions, both locally and internationally.
When overcoming challenges and restrictions of the education system and the labour market, athletes must strive not to lose their motivation, commitment and resilience.
Athletes require special arrangements in order to avoid a situation where they must choose to opt for either their education/work or their sporting career.
Such “dual career” arrangements should be beneficial for athletes’ sporting careers, allow for education or work, promote the attainment of a new career after their sporting one, and protect and safeguard the position of athletes.
The success of dual career arrangements often depends on the goodwill of persons in important positions of an organisation or institute, while in fact a systematic approach based on general and sustainable financial and legal arrangements is needed. The increasing trend for athletes to train and/or compete abroad makes the combination with study more complex. The organisation of individualised pathways in education or distance learning is demanding while extra “holidays” are a problem in the labour market. Athletes are reported to be in a disadvantaged position compared to other workers since enterprises may perceive such athletes as finding it difficult to adapt to the changing employment needs during different stages of their careers.
I will be making sure to introduce any necessary safeguards for the development of young athletes, especially of children in the early specialisation of sports, young people in vocational education and training, and disabled athletes. This government will be publishing a strategy making sure that there is a balance between sports training and education and, at a later stage of life, a balance between sports training and employment. Finally, I will be working on the issue of the end-of-sporting-career phase of athletes including those who depart earlier than planned.
One should highlight the fact that society and sport will benefit from the positive image of educated athletes who make sport more attractive for others, function as positive role models for young people and express the importance of excellence in society.
Athletes require special arrangements in order to avoid a situation where they must choose to opt for either their education/work or their sporting career
This government will be making sure that both public and private sports authorities support dual careers through formal agreements which require planning of activities and involvement of athletes. The allocation of funding will be conditional upon the inclusion of dual career conditions. The safety and welfare of young athletes will be a requirement of such programmes.
It is imperative that coaches and all those who deliver support services to these athletes should be competent and qualified. Qualifications and certification for such services should form part of the National Qualification Framework for educational institutions.
This government will only be recognising and supporting those sports academies which adhere to minimum requirements. Such requirements will include having qualified staff, high quality and safe complexes, professional supporting services including medical, psychological, educational and career assistance, and collaboration with athletes’ social support networks such as the parents of athletes.
I want all stakeholders to join forces to develop a framework for dual careers in sport and schools in which specific arrangements, such as flexibility in sitting for exams, adapted curriculum, e-learning, supplementary tutoring and support services, are provided.
When it comes to employment, public authorities are being asked to lead by example. Athletes should be able to combine their athletic and vocational careers in public services such as the military, police and customs. A case in point is the 20/20 scheme targeting athletes and coaches. Through this scheme, athletes and coaches who form part of a national team have the possibility to use 20 hours of their working time to practise their sport. Public authorities will be entering into discussions with the private sector about introducing similar schemes so their employees can combine work and sport. The public authorities are also partially financing such a scheme within the private sector.
Sports, health and educational authorities are working together to jointly support the development of health and psychological assistance, preventive and education programmes for athletes in the area of life skills, injury prevention, and healthy living, nutrition and recovery techniques as an element of the educational part of the dual career. Moreover, this government is working to make sure that adequate insurance policies are in place so as to provide employers, athletes-workers and retired athletes with added employee protection regarding sport-related injuries.
This government, through its participation in European Union fora, will be insisting on the need for international institutions to create opportunities within their programmes for dual career mobility networks.
We will be striving to persuade the EU to act as a catalyst to encourage and support the leading educational institutions and universities in member states, in partnership with sports stakeholders, to participate in trans-national consortia to develop shared curricula and educational programmes for sports people.
The concept of dual careers can only be successfully implemented if athletes and their entourage (from coaches to parents) are aware of its importance. Approaching the issue from different aspects (government and sports governing bodies) will spread the message faster and in a more efficient way. Coordination between the different partners will be one of the main success factors.
Actions at governmental level, including national sport agencies and educational institutions, can make athletes, clubs and coaches aware of the importance of dual careers. Young athletes including disabled athletes should get the message that it is possible to combine sport and education and that they can benefit from such a combination.
The government is committed to continue with its work on this issue of the dual career challenge to develop and celebrate the young sportsmen and women of the future.
Stefan Buontempo is Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport.