The Club’s charity delivers a sport coaching degree in partnership with the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).
The programme brings together CITC’s community football coaching knowledge with Manchester Metropolitan’s academic expertise, to offer the best of both worlds and an integrated path to rewarding career goals.
The BSc (Hons) and FdSc Manchester City Community Football Coaching programme is designed to give students a unique opportunity, by matching MMU’s academic expertise with the facilities, experience, and know-how of the Club’s City in the Community Foundation.
During the three-year course, participants gain real-world coaching skills and discover how sport can create a brighter future for their community and their career.
It combines classroom teaching at MMU’s Institute of Sport and sports facilities with work-based learning at the state-of-the-art Etihad Campus.
This mix is designed to help students develop a comprehensive skillset in coaching, sport development, performance analysis, strength & conditioning and more.
Emma and Grace are both still studying on the CITC Degree course, with Grace being in her first year and Emma being in her second year. With both having already gained part-time employment with CITC alongside their studies, we interviewed them on their experiences so far.
Q: What do you enjoy most about the Manchester City Community Coaching Degree?
Emma: I would say the placements we get to go on. It provides a lot of opportunities for us, specifically for me, I obtained part-time work with CITC through the placements I had been on. Also, the staff are amazing, they are always there when you need them.
Grace: The thing I enjoy the most about the degree is the volunteering opportunities you get with City in the Community. Volunteering has been a massive part of my journey so far with City in the Community and I believe it can open many doors.
Q: How has the course prepared you for employment within sport?
Emma: When we are delivering, we always receive feedback at the end of each session, which in my view allows me to prepare and improve session by session. It is great to receive instant feedback as it allows for instant improvement.
Grace: Personally, I feel like the course has prepared me for employment by encouraging me to believe in myself and having the confidence to always maintain one hundred per cent effort. Making me work well as part of a team, support each other throughout our journey. Never giving up.
Q: What placements have you undertaken since being on the course?
Emma: This year we were given two work-based placements. My first one was with the City Girls programme, and it was the one that specifically led me into the job I am in today. At those sessions I was working at Levenshulme with the 16+ age group. This also led me onto my other placement which was with the Inspires programme.
Grace: In my work-based learning unit, I was given the opportunity to do my placement on City Play. City Play is programme working with children aged 2-5 years old. My mentor, Amy, is role model to me and all the children she coaches. From this placement, I’ve been able to pick up lots of new coaching techniques and skills which I can use in the future.
Q: Can you tell us more about your part-time role with City in the Community?
Emma: Every day I work with CITC it is very different. Tuesday’s, I work with the disability group, Wednesday, I work in a youth zone and then Friday, I work with the Kicks group with the under 11’s. Therefore, no day is the same and I get to work and engage with a lot of different people.
Grace: Earlier on this year I gained a part time role at City in the Community. Currently as a community outreach coach, I am based at two sessions Levenshulme City Girls Kicks and The One City Disability. Both sessions are really rewarding the children are so receptive and engaged it makes the session so enjoyable. Each session I feel like I gain more and more confidence which hopefully shows.
Q: What are your plans for when you graduate?
Emma: I always knew doing this course would help provide me with a good job once I graduated. I am currently part-time with CITC, but I hope to continue working with them and gain full-time employment with them.
Grace: When I graduate, I want to gain full-time employment with City in the Community, working in one of their community outreaches teams. Fulfilling one of my many dreams.
To find out more about the degree course at City in the Community, please click here.
For any other aspect of the 11+ Educational programmes, please contact citc@cityfootball.com.
