The Coaching Workforce Survey 2010 - Baseline Report

This report provides information for Sport Northern Ireland on the characteristics of sports coaching in Northern Ireland and the issues and opportunities that coaches face. A sample of sports coaches responded to an online questionnaire promoted through governing bodies of sport. 1,679 coaches provided responses to the survey, of whom 1,467 were resident in Northern Ireland. The dominance of three sports in terms of participation is reflected in the survey. Coaches in football (176), Gaelic football (211) and rugby union (229) accounted for 42% of responses to the survey. Hockey coaches (143) accounted for a further 10%. As London 2012 approaches, the timing of the survey in 2010 allows an impression to be gained of coaches. On the one hand, the coaching workforce is young, well educated and well qualified. Furthermore, coaches are keen to develop their coaching skills. On the other hand, the majority of coaching is done on a voluntary basis by people who are married and hold down full-time jobs, generating conflicting demands. Survey responses confirm the importance of clubs in providing facilities and coaching opportunities for adults and juniors - 84% of coaches deliver sessions in a club setting. Sports coaching in Northern Ireland is very reliant on volunteers, particularly in the club context. The relatively small numbers of paid staff in the workforce are employed mainly by governing bodies and local authorities. Most coaches responding to the survey possess a valid coaching qualification and, of these, 39% are qualified at Level 2 or above. There is a clear desire expressed by a significant number of coaches to develop as coaches and achieve higher level qualifications in the process. Coaches frequently cite time and cost as the most significant barriers to their progress through the system. Coaches in Northern Ireland are well educated and well motivated, with most expressing a desire to develop as a coach. The overwhelming majority aim to continue coaching for the foreseeable future. They frequently identify and implement innovative solutions to the challenges of coaching, and exhibit a high degree of commitment to their roles

A Theory of Retirement

We construct a life-cycle model in which retirement occurs at the end of life as a result of declining health. We show that improvements in life expectancy, coupled with a delay in the onset of disability, increases both the optimal consumption level and the proportion of life spent in leisure. The retirement age increases proportionally less than the increase in life expectancy.aging, health, retirement, savings

Demographic Change, Social Security Systems, and Savings

In theory, improvements in healthy life expectancy should generate increases in the average age of retirement, with little effect on savings rates. In many countries, however, retirement incentives in social security programs prevent retirement ages from keeping pace with changes in life expectancy, leading to an increased need for life-cycle savings. Analyzing a cross-country panel of macroeconomic data, we find that increased longevity raises aggregate savings rates in countries with universal pension coverage and retirement incentives, though the effect disappears in countries with pay-as-you-go systems and high replacement rates

Adverse Childhood Experiences: National and State-Level Prevalence

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that can have negative, lasting effects on health and well-being. These experiences range from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse to parental divorce or the incarceration of a parent or guardian. A growing body of research has sought to quantify the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and illuminate their connection with negative behavioral and health outcomes, such as obesity, alcoholism, and depression, later in life. However, prior research has not reported on the prevalence of ACEs among children in a nationally representative, non-clinical sample. In this brief, we describe the prevalence of one or more ACEs among children ages birth through 17, as reported by their parents, using nationally representative data from the 2011/12 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). We estimate the prevalence of eight specific ACEs for the U.S., contrasting the prevalence of specific ACEs among the states and between children of different age groups

The Effect of Improvements in Health and Longevity on Optimal Retirement and Saving

We develop a life-cycle model of optimal retirement and savings behavior under complete markets where retirement is caused by worsening health in old age. Our model explains the long-run decline in the age of retirement as an income level effect. We show that improvements in health and longevity tend to increase the desired retirement age, though less than proportionately, while, contrary to conventional views, reducing savings rates. The retirement age is not simply proportional to healthy lifespan because compound interest creates a wealth effect when lifespan increases, leading to more leisure (early retirement) and higher consumption (lower savings).Health, longevity, savings, retirement