Monday, 10 July 2023
British Equestrian is now accepting applications for the 2023/2024 cohort of its Sport England-funded Young Professionals Programme.
The Young Professionals Programme is designed to support the personal and career development of young people in the equestrian industry who have their own business or are looking to start one in the future. Delivered in collaboration with British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping, the programme is built around a series of interactive workshops, both in-person and online.
Those inducted onto the programme will have the opportunity to create a career development plan and gain the skills and confidence they need to handle different situations that can occur in the workplace. Specialist speakers will cover a broad range of topics essential to running a business, ranging from contract-writing, employment law, insurance and finances, to conflict management, communication skills and building a personal brand.
“I’ve learned a lot from our sessions that have touched on interpersonal skills in different situations, dealing with conflict, how to motivate, communicate and more. This has really helped me set up a professional mindset in running a business,” explains eventer Sara Bech Strøm, who is about to graduate from the 2022/2023 cohort. “The programme covers all the relevant topics within the industry and creates a good base of knowledge to either start or expand your business.
“For me it has also been nice meeting others that are on the same journey and to expand my network within the industry and it has set me up with good resources which I can use to further my own business.”
Dressage rider Evelina Shrieve recognised the importance of all the opportunities you take in life, and felt the programme offered a balance of business and personal skills, “The programme perfectly bridges the gap between both the logistics of running a business, such as bookkeeping and insurance, as well as self-development; both of which are paramount.
“I would definitely recommend the programme to anyone who is wanting to either pursue or grow their business within the industry, as it is not only provides a huge learning experience, but also brings with it an excellent opportunity to network with people of a similar age.”
David Hamer, Head of Performance Pathways at British Equestrian added, “The original concept of this programme was to support the transition of riders leaving the youth pathway structures and going into the equestrian workplace. For many, this is quite a challenging and often lonely period as they set up a small business to support their sport or start to forge a career in the industry. Because of this, we have adapted the programme over the years to support the personal development and wellbeing of these younger riders, while giving them knowledge and understanding of important requirements to manage a business. Providing the right balance of support and education, as well as enabling them to form a community of practice within the group, is now offering more than just a transition route for these young people, especially in this more challenging economic period.”
Further details of the application process and criteria can be found here. Applications will close on 31 August 2023. If you have any questions about the programme or application process, please contact Georgie Allen – georgie.allen@bef.co.uk / 07903 090425.