Work Placements
Sporting Communities provide high-quality work experience and internship placements to give you first-hand experience and prepare you for the working world.
Sporting Communities is committed to offering bespoke, hands-on work experience placements for students, believing that practical engagement is key to professional growth. Our placements are designed to immerse you in real-world environments where you can apply your academic knowledge, develop essential skills, and gain valuable industry insights. By working alongside experienced professionals, you will be encouraged to take on meaningful responsibilities that enhance your learning and prepare you for your future career.
Sporting Communities emphasises mentorship and collaboration, ensuring that you not only contribute to ongoing projects but also receive guidance and feedback. This approach fosters a supportive learning environment where you can build confidence, network, and explore potential career paths. Ultimately, Sporting Communities aims to bridge the gap between education and employment, empowering you to transition smoothly into the workforce with the experience and skills necessary to succeed.
Placements can vary in length and career. We provide 12-month placements for university students, short-term work experience for school pupils and everything in between.
We not only value students looking to get involved in delivering community development, sport and youth work services but also the valuable careers that enable front-line work to thrive such as Marketing, Sales, Networking, Management, Administration, Data Analysis and much more.
During my 9-month internship at Sporting Communities, I had the chance to work as a Network Coordinator and Event Coordinator, and the experience was enlightening.
As a Network Coordinator, I took on the challenge of expanding the Sustaining Communities Network nationwide. My role involved analysing the existing network, creating strategies for membership expansion, and developing key partnerships. I also dove into social media engagement and integrated marketing, which allowed me to help increase awareness of the network’s impact. This role provided me with invaluable insight into how community organisations operate and grow, offering me a first-hand look at the strategic side of the sporting sector.
In addition, I played a vital role in coordinating the UK’s first Youth Innovation Conference. This experience allowed me to work on event logistics, partnership development, and social media campaigns, all while building lasting relationships across the sector. The opportunity to lead a networking workshop during the conference was a highlight, as it let me engage directly with young people and industry leaders, fostering connections that bridge grassroots efforts with leadership roles.
Throughout my time at Sporting Communities, I was given the space to develop my skills while contributing to meaningful projects. I’m grateful for the opportunities they provided, which have significantly broadened my understanding of the sporting sector and prepared me for future challenges.
Charlie (Loughborough University)
An industrial placement at Sporting Communities shaped my professional career. They create a positive work culture which develops students to take on challenging projects and see their true working potential. Through attentive guidance and support, I was able to develop a multitude of skill sets and confidence within a professional environment. Sporting Communities’ position within the youth sector allows students to undertake numerous and varied roles, all of which provide a rounded experience. The impact of the work has stayed with me throughout my career and I regularly refer back to these insightful experiences.
Alex (Loughborough University)
For my year 10 work experience, I completed a week with the team at Sporting Communities. During this time I developed many new skills; understanding how to speak to new people, learning how to run a charity and participating in activities with a brilliant team in Derbyshire. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sporting Communities and would recommend it to anyone looking for a work placement.
Y10 student (Hartford CofE)
