Sports Learners Celebrate Completion of Rising Leaders Programme

Two standout Sport learners, Belchin Safet and Aja Paget, have successfully completed the Rising Leaders programme – an initiative funded by Football Association (The FA) and delivered by AoC Sport.

The prestigious programme is part of The FA’s ongoing commitment to increasing the diversity of female volunteers in football. It aims to ensure more women from global majority backgrounds are equipped with the skills, confidence, and motivation to take up leadership and volunteer roles within the sport.

The Rising Leaders programme focuses on developing eight core behaviours crucial to success in football and beyond, consisting of building personal capacity, motivation to achieve, powerful communication, planning, organising and delivering, resilience and adaptability, collaborative teamwork, creating solutions, and providing leadership.

Through a blend of workshops, mentoring and practical experiences, the programme empowers participants with vital employability and leadership skills, encouraging them to become more confident, capable, and engaged members of their communities.

Danny Lee, Curriculum Manager for Sport and Esport at Loughborough College, praised the learners’ achievements, sharing: “We are incredibly proud of Belchin and Aja. Their dedication to personal development and their commitment to creating positive change within football and their communities is truly inspiring.”

Joe Jowett, Sports Coach at Loughborough College, agreed, adding: “Both learners demonstrated exceptional leadership and teamwork throughout the programme. This is just the beginning for them—we’re excited to see how they continue to grow and inspire others in the future.”