The SCDP, approved at the FIA Senate in January 2021, will deliver a customised two-year intensive mentorship and coaching programme targeting 45 Clubs over a period of four years.

The programme, supported by €1.5m funding from the FIF, will seek to bolster the management expertise of many ASNs and ACNs in their efforts to recover and restart motor sport activities against the backdrop of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FIA Experts will assess the specific circumstances and needs working in collaboration with each club to formulate appropriate and customised action plans.

The SCDP team has already identified a group of FIA Experts including:

• Representatives from the ASN Development Task Force including the Task Force President
• Representatives from the FIA’s Regional Training Provider (RTP) network (currently there are 10 RTPs actively operating)
• Other FIA subject matter experts from Member Clubs and FIA staff

Careful attention will be given to match appropriate Experts with each ASN/ACN. FIA Experts will track ASNs’ development via regular reports and assess progress against a specific set of KPIs which will be developed and approved before the start of the mentoring process.

Due to the reliance on online interaction for the first year at least, information provided to Clubs will include a list of minimum technical requirements to ensure that communications can be conducted effectively.

Resource materials including a mentoring/coaching toolkit and expanded training modules will be developed and made available to the entire ASN/ACN network through the FIA’s eLearning platform and FIA Networks.

At the end of the programme, each Club will be equipped with a strong operational structure, empowered with the necessary management skills and processes, and able to develop and organise motor sport activities.

The SCDP team has developed criteria for the evaluation of applicant Clubs. The selection process will contain the following elements:

• Targeting of ASNs known to need assistance
• General call for applications from Clubs
• All applications will be assessed by a panel of FIA Experts
• The assessment process may include video interviews to clarify details before final selections are made

Further details will be available at the SCDP’s Stronger Together Webinar on Tuesday, February 23.

Applications will launch on Thursday, February 25 and will close on Wednesday, March 31. For further details on the SCDP project, please contact Kate Robson and Sela Ghebremedhin at  scdp@fia.com

Graham Stoker, FIA Deputy President for Sport said: 
“The Sport Clubs Development Programme will assist our ASNs and clubs in continuing to restart and develop motor sport activities amid the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported by funding from the FIF, the SCDP will provide dedicated, one-to-one mentoring from a range of FIA Experts to help them navigate these difficult times.”