Introduction
The ‘Fit for the Future: Leisure Careers’ programme was developed to address a clear gap in meaningful work experience opportunities in the Sport, Physical Activity, Movement, and Leisure sector, for young people.
The idea came from a discussion at a meeting of the Buckinghamshire Local Skills Accountability Board (LSAB). The LSAB is an initiative led by CIMSPA (Chartered Institue for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity), whereby Active Partnerships, employers and education providers collaborate and create better spaces for people joining the workforce and beginning their careers.
Discussions revealed that Leisure centres were keen to support students but often lacked the tools or framework to do so effectively. At the same time, students were missing out on valuable, hands-on experiences that could inspire future careers and make the future workforce more representative of local communities.
Programme Purpose
The programme was designed to meet the needs of both leisure centres and young people. It offers a fun, engaging, and varied introduction to careers in the leisure industry, while also supporting employers in developing future talent.
The cohort of young people chosen to take part helped to tackle inequalities by diversifying the range of young people who have access to opportunities like this. With help from the school SEND and PE departments, we targeted young people from disadvantaged communities, within a priority area of Aylesbury.
Planning and Framework
The initial planning involved creating a basic framework focused on three main goals:
- Providing real-world experience in leisure settings
- Building key employability skills
- Showcasing the wide range of roles available in the sector
Partner Contributions
Buckinghamshire Skills Hub played a key role in shaping the programme’s career development elements, ensuring that participants gained not only experience but also practical skills like CV writing and interview preparation. 
As the programme developed, it gained support from a range of partners including inclusive employers, CIMSPA (the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity), Buckinghamshire College Group, and the wider Leap team. Each partner contributed valuable insights, resources, and a shared commitment to supporting young people.
Programme Launch
The programme officially launched at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, where students were introduced to a variety of roles such as front-of-house, gym support, and leisure assistant duties. Each day offered new experiences and opportunities to learn.
Current Impact
Today, ‘Fit for the Future’ is more than just a work experience programme, it’s a career pathway.
It helps young people see the leisure sector as a place for long-term growth and opportunity, while giving employers a chance to invest in and shape the next generation of professionals.
Roles and responsibilities of each partner:
Stoke Mandeville Stadium (Operated by More Leisure Community Trust)
- Host the programme and provide a welcoming environment for participants.
- Facilitate daily shadowing opportunities, allowing young people to observe and engage with different roles across the center for approximately 2 hours per day.
- Promote progression pathways, including opportunities within the More program for those aged 16 and over.
Leap
- To engage with students prior to the programme, building rapport and preparing them for the experience.
- Convene and co-ordinate partners through project development and delivery.
- Teach how to design inclusive activities, which can be adapted for a variety of needs and abilities. Equipping participants with foundational skills and knowledge for volunteering in sport and physical activity.
- Deliver an Active Medicine workshop, highlighting the importance of physical activity for health and wellbeing, and encouraging students to consider careers that promote active lifestyles.
Buckinghamshire Skills Hub
- Provide employability resources tailored to young people entering the leisure sector.
- Deliver interactive workshops focused on key employment skills such as CV writing, interview preparation, and workplace team work and problem solving.
- Support students’ career development by offering insights into wider career pathways and opportunities beyond the programme.
Student preparation sessions:
Before the stadium doors opened, Leap visited students at The Mandeville School. These schools visits weren’t just logistical, they were transformational in how students engaged in the programme.
- Building Relationships Early
Meeting students ahead of time helped establish trust and rapport. This made students feel more comfortable and confident when they arrived at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, knowing they already had a familiar face involved in the programme.
- Preparing Students for the Experience
The visits allowed explanation about what the programme would involve, what students could expect, and how they could make the most of the opportunity. This helped reduce any anxiety and ensured students arrived informed and ready to engage.
- Understanding Student Needs
By meeting students in their school environment, we could better understand their interests, goals, and any support needs. This helped tailor the programme to ensure it was inclusive, engaging, and relevant to each participant.
- Encouraging Engagement
Face-to-face interaction helped boost enthusiasm and motivation. Students were more likely to commit fully to the programme when they understood it’s value and had the chance to ask questions beforehand.
- Strengthening School Partnerships
Visiting schools also reinforced Leap’s collaboration with local education providers, showing a commitment to supporting young people’s development both inside and outside the classroom.
How did we select the school and pupils?
The Mandeville School was chosen due to being in a priority area of greatest physical activity inequality with high numbers of pupils who; have SEND or receive SEND support, are free school meal receivers, come from low-income families or are ethnically diverse. The pupils were identified through the SEND and PE department at The Mandeville School.
- Pupils responded positively to clear expectations and structured routines.
- Having small numbers (6 pupils) showed there is greater value to participants when working with small numbers, but giving a high quality experience.
- Having defined instructions helped maintain focus and productivity.
- Gained insights into how leisure centres can better accommodate and engage young visitors.
- Identified the importance of staff awareness and preparation to create a welcoming and supportive environment.
- Learned what activities and elements are most effective to include in the timetable.
Where do we go next?
- Programme to run three times in the academic year of 25/26, two with More Leisure and one at an Everyone Active leisure centre.
- An improved timetable, using feedback from the young people.
- More awareness of careers in leisure, promoting pathways at career fairs and skills show
- Improve communication about career pathways, fairs and skills shows with participants
What did the young people say?
“I enjoyed wheelchair basketball and writing my CV. I now know what a CV is and how and where I need to use it”
“I enjoyed learning from the lifeguards, I didn’t realise how much work they do, I was surprised they do cleaning”
“All the staff were really welcoming and friendly, I might consider working here one day”
What did the school say?
“Thank you for being so supportive, accommodating, and empathetic with our students”
“All students were really positive about the experience, so thank you all for arranging it for them”
“Thank you for sending our students away with such invaluable assets, qualifications, and skills, such as their CV, interview skills, first aid and so much more”
