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Coach Core

Gary Laybourne

128

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Today’s episode sees Andrew Hicks stepping in for James to welcome back a special guest, Gary Laybourne, the CEO of Coach Core. Known for his signature mix of humour, insight, and a true passion for social change, Gary joins us again to share updates on his journey and his vision for transforming communities through sport. His dedication goes beyond building careers; he’s redefining what it means to make a difference and reshaping communities across the UK.

Founded in 2012, Coach Core isn’t just an apprenticeship program. It’s a groundbreaking charity focused on providing young people from challenging backgrounds with a pathway to employment through sports, mentorship, and community leadership. Unlike traditional apprenticeships, Coach Core emphasizes personal development, pairing skill-building with mentorship and connecting apprentices with their communities as role models.

What began with 20 young Londoners has grown to a national movement with over a thousand apprentices, changing lives and inspiring communities alongside local partners who believe in the power of sports to drive positive change.

In this episode, Gary discusses Coach Core’s ambitious vision for growth and invites listeners to explore how they can help shape the future with him. Don’t miss this must-listen episode if you’re passionate about social impact, sports, and youth development!

 

Tune in to learn more about:

  • The art of building socially impactful ventures that balance purpose with financial sustainability.
  • He updates us on Coach Core’s inspiring journey and how they’ve evolved from a local initiative to a national movement, providing hundreds of apprentices and millions in communities.
  • How Coach Core marries business insight with a deep commitment to social change, offering young people vital tools for resilience and community connection.
  • Why apprenticeships are crucial pathways for youth from marginalized backgrounds, and how Coach Core’s unique model of support, training, and mentorship sets them up for success.
  • Gary’s challenge to conventional views of “a good job,” advocating for careers rooted in purpose and fulfilment.
  • Key insights on leveraging sports as a powerful vehicle for social transformation.

 

…and so much more!

03:35

It started as a programme for 20 young Londoners who came from areas of challenge or overcoming barriers one way or another, be that through genetics and race and ethnicity through to education and criminal backgrounds.
03:35

07:40

I hope any charity leader that’s listening out there, your single goal in life should be to not exist. I don’t care what vision you have—your real vision should be that you hope you don’t have to offer your services.
07:40

10:28

Some kids and friends of ours, friends of mine certainly, are motivated by money. That is their benchmark of success.
10:28

18:46

So we’ve improved young people’s lives, their health and happiness by X percent, something like that, and you go, that’s amazing. Why is no one listening?
18:46

23:21

One of my best friends whose daughter’s at uni, she’s working near enough full-time hours around her university course to make sure that she doesn’t come out in debt.
23:21

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