Athletics NI are a registered body for Access NI for two types of licences: Coaching & Officiating licenses.
Your license renewal date is based on your Access NI check and lasts for 3 years. Three months before this is due to expire, you will receive a reminder email your license needs to be renewed.
In order to achieve or renew your Coaching/Officiating License, you must complete the 3 following steps:
1. Apply for an Enhanced Access NI check.
2. Complete the ID Validation form and return to Luke.Dinsmore@athleticsni.org with your 3 copies of ID having the form signed by a club committee member or work colleague.
Please be advised the Enhanced application cannot be processed until the signed ID Validation form and copies of ID have been submitted!
3. Complete the Online UKA Mandatory Training Module (Safeguarding and First Aid) via the Athletics Hub - This is explained in the Licensing section below the Access NI application process.
You will find a walkthrough guide of each step detailed below:
Online application:
If you don't have an account, you can register as part of the application. After registering, you must return to this page to complete your application. Make sure to get your Identification Validated prior to completing your application alongside your 3 copies of ID and return this form to Athletics Northern Ireland.
Before beginning you must have with you:
The following PIN Information (405352)
Your address(es) for the last five years
Your National Insurance Number
Your Driving Licence and Passport Numbers (if you have these documents)
ID Validation Form signed and returned to Athletics Northern Ireland within 90 days of completing the Enhanced Check.
Once your account has been created, you can use this for future applications.
ID Validation Requirement:
Please note that Access NI Checks will not be processed until an ID Validation form has been received. This must be signed by a Club committee member or work colleague. (This cannot be a family member). We also require ONE copy of each of the THREE valid ID documents seen by the person who signed the form.
If your club committee member or work colleague is not available to verify your ID documents and sign the ID Validation form, verification of Access NI documents can be completed by Luke Dinsmore in the Athletics NI office. Please contact Luke directly via luke.dinsmore@athleticsni.org to arrange an appropriate time for ID validation or for any further support.
Please note that due to the updated Access NI system, if we have not received your ID Validation Form, along with 3 copies of ID within 90 days of completing the online Enhanced Access NI Check, your check will be removed and you will have to complete it again.
Please email all Access NI ID Validation forms & copies of the ID Documents to: luke.dinsmore@athleticsni.org, or post these to: Athletics NI, Athletics House, Old Coach Road, Belfast, BT9 5PR
Licensing (Mandatory Training) (Coaches & Officials)
Both coaches & officials need to renew their license every three years. As part of this, they must complete an Access NI (details above), relevant training and upload a new photo to their MyPortal profile.
If you require further support in relation to coach or official licensing, please contact Athletics Development Assistant, Luke Dinsmore on luke.dinsmore@athleticsni.org or 07703 430261.
Coach & Official Licensing Transfer
From 1 October 2023, each of the Home Country Athletics Federations (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) will assume responsibility for the licensing of coaches at all levels and officials at levels 1-3 in the UK.
From 1 October 2023, coaches at all levels and officials at levels 1-3 will be licensed to their respective HCAF rather than UK Athletics.
Individuals will be contacted directly by the HCAFs later in August to inform them of a change to the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) of their license and to request that they accept revised licence T&Cs to enable coaches and officials to remain insured beyond 1 October.
Updated licensing terms & conditions for Coaches & Officials and codes of conduct for coaches & officials which will come into operation for 1 October 2023 are available here:
Access NI Fair Treatment
When an employer receives an Access NI certificate disclosing a job applicant’s criminal record, the employer is responsible for protecting this sensitive information. Registered bodies must comply with Access NI’s code of practice and handle disclosure information safely and securely. Employers should treat fairly job applicants and volunteers who have criminal convictions.
POLICY ON RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS
Access NI Policy and Procedures
To make sure that registered bodies are operating in accordance with best practice, Access NI have produced a code of practice and sample policy statements.
Access NI Code of Practice
To protect information about applicants, registered bodies must comply with Access NI’s code of practice. The code ensures that information released in standard and enhanced checks is:
Access NI audits registered bodies to make sure of satisfactory compliance with the code of practice. Access NI can deregister a lead or counter signatory in a registered body that doesn’t keep to Access NI’s code of practice on information security.
Registered bodies will not automatically be issued with a copy of the applicant’s certificate. However, registered bodies will require applicant’s to provide their certificates in the following cases: