Skip to main content

Creating inclusivity through leadership action

Orange flower

About

Play Proud is a leadership, network and coach-centred training programme developed by Common Goal. It aims to promote inclusion and safe spaces for  LGBTQ+ youth and adults, enabling them to be themselves on and off the pitch.

  • Create LGBTQ+ curricula and policies that can be used by organisation leaders and coaches to make programmes, organisations, and ultimately, communities more inclusive.
  • Build capacity of grassroots organisations to be able to incorporate the methodology into their programmes through training the first generation of Play Proud coaches.
  • Roll out a Play Proud Playbook to guide organisations’ facilitation of open and safe football programmes, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. 
  • Develop a strong network of Play Proud coaches who can exchange ideas and promote collaboration.

The programme focuses on empowering organisation leaders and sports coaches through activities covering leadership skills and tools, coaching inclusion methodologies, influencing change, and knowledge acquisition on discrimination towards LGBTQ+ communities. It equips participants with a Play Proud toolkit, empowering them to create inclusivity through leadership action.

Participants also design and implement local action learning projects designed to increase inclusivity and be a catalyst for concrete change.

  • 22 organisations engaged in 8 countries. 
  • 406,950 youth indirectly impacted by Play Proud programming. 
  • 100% completion rate.
  • 100% of participants feel they are more knowledgeable about gender identity and sexual orientation.
  • 100% of participants feel they are more knowledgeable about the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community face in sport.
Testimonials
See what our customers say about us
Karen Gregson
UK Learning and Development Lead
BAE Systems
"The programme leverages a variety of experiences for graduates including teamwork opportunities derived from Impact’s adventurous outdoor activity, workplace activities which provide real experience of business challenges, insights into other business areas, opportunities for reflection, and practical theory that they can learn from and then apply. This is an innovative programme which increases workplace capability and provides a strong return on investment”.
Kerri
Programme participant
Raytheon
"18 months into the graduate leadership development programme, and I can truly say it has been such a great experience. The activities we have undertaken have ranged from learning presentation skills, understanding your impact in a team, to having a lot of fun along the way with challenging activities, such as white water rafting and rock climbing. The external training we are fortunate enough to receive, as well as on-the-job training has helped me to build on my career."
Programme participant
Scott Bader
"The programme design, group discussions, solo reflection time and activities were well thought out and planned. I felt ‘stretched’, and this was a great feeling."