Everyone knows that it takes a lot of work to reach Olympic success, and that hard work doesn't just come from the athletes themselves, but from the many people who support them on their way. With the employment of Liz Mobbs, the new Workforce Development Activator for South Essex, we can all be certain that for anyone who wants to take part in sport at any level, there'll be people behind them ready to help them achieve their goal.

Employed by a group of partners including Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership, the five Local Authorities in South Essex and sportessex, Liz's job is to assist people that want to work in the sports industry, whether they're aiming for a job with a lucrative salary or just volunteering at their local club. For those who already do their bit, Liz is there to help expand their skills, ensuring that everyone can fulfil their potential.

The last weekend of April saw coaches from across the country descend on SEEVIC College in Benfleet to attend a conference organised by Liz on coaching disabled participants in sport. Described by various coaches as being both fun and informative, one coach from a local Rugby Club summed the day up in one word, “Fantastic.”

Delegates were able to improve their skills by learning about the barriers faced by disabled people who want to take part and were also given the opportunity to participate in games such as Bench Hockey and Goalball, giving a practical introduction to making sport accessible to everyone. Liz says “The day was a great success and it's fantastic to know that the coaches who took part will now be able to include people in their sport who might not have been able to take part before. All the coaches were really enthusiastic so this should make a significant and positive difference to people in our area”.

This is the second conference that Liz has organised this year, giving coaches the opportunity to network, up skill and find out how they can be the very best in their profession. The growing number of people wanting to attend shows not only the quality of the workshops, but also means that whether you want some help with your swimming technique, or if you're looking for a great local football club for your child, the coach you see is likely to be better trained and more highly skilled than ever before.

As well as making sure that South Essex has the best coaches available, Liz has also been holding Career Advice Workshops at South East Essex College in Southend, helping students to gain employment once their courses finish. In addition to giving talks herself, Liz also arranged for visits from professionals including the Sports Activator for Southend, a Coach Education Tutor and a Senior Sports Therapist, giving a real flavour of the different opportunities available. The sessions have been very popular, with students responding positively. One commented that it was “Really informative with good opportunities for us to ask questions and tips that will help us.”

Despite the workshops meaning a long day for some students, Liz says that “the feedback received was really positive. The students appreciated gaining an insight into jobs in the sports and leisure industry and were keen to learn more about future career choices. Getting your first job after college can seem like a really big step so as well as informing them of jobs they could do, we helped them with interview techniques and steps they need to take towards the career they want. I'm certain that some of the students who attended will go on to gain their dream jobs now.”

The students have been offered the chance to take part in voluntary work in sport, either through placements with local sports clubs via Volunteer Centres or by working alongside Liz at the recent Disability Coaching Conference. Also planned for the future is a scheme to be led by Natalie Blyde, a local Sports Consultant who presented at the career talks. The scheme also offers students the opportunity to work shadow Personal Trainers in local leisure facilities, giving them a valuable insight and experience into a possible future career.

While Liz is only six months into her three year contract, it's clear to see that much has already been achieved and with progress like this, it's certain she'll achieve much more in the future.