Former York St John student secures dream job with Sporting Equals

A former York St John student has landed a lucrative role with sports body Sporting Equals to encourage more people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities to get involved in sport.

Umar Ahmed, who studied a BA Sport, Society and Development degree at York St John University, secured the position of Partnership Officer with the sports body in May. He will work closely with national governing sports bodies such as the Football Association (FA), Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), to help engage them with BME communities.

Sporting Equals is the only organisation in the UK to promote ethnic diversity across sport and physical activity. Originally set up in 1998 by Sport England in partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality, Sporting Equals is now an independent not-for-profit organisation funded by Sport England to increase BME participation in sport and physical activity.

Umar, from Dewsbury, completed his BA Sport, Society and Development degree in June 2013 and used it as a stepping stone to secure his position at Sporting Equals.

Commenting on his degree Umar said:
“The course focuses on a broad range of topics and gave me an invaluable insight into the structure and workings of sport. Modules such as Sport Ethics, Sport and Spirituality are unique and really challenge the way you think about sport and life in general. Staff support is first class, both in the classroom and outside. I did a work placement with the FA and also worked closely with the University sports teams; these experiences gave me the necessary skills which helped me secure the role at Sporting Equals.”

Umar continued:
“My role at Sporting Equals is to increase BME participation in sport. Statistics show that over half of people in BME communities do not participate in sport, which has implications on their health. My job involves brokering relationships with governing bodies and community groups to develop different sport projects. I also set up and coordinate sport zones at cultural events which can attract up to 50,000 people. It’s a really interesting job with lots of challenges, but it’s great, I really enjoy it.”

Nik Trivedi, Head of Consultancy at Sporting Equals, said:
"We are delighted to have Umar on board. The position he fills is vital in ensuring we make strong local connections and that we effectively engage BME communities in sport in Yorkshire. Having local resources and knowledge is vital to us as we know each community has different needs and wants. Umar has established himself effectively in the role and we look forward to increasing sports participation in Yorkshire as a result of his appointment."