Oxfordshire charity turns to apprenticeships to support on the ground deliverables
Posted on: 9th Jun 2025
Apprenticeships 
An Oxfordshire charity has turned to the power of apprenticeships to help colleagues tackle health inequalities while improving people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Active Oxfordshire works with people of all ages and backgrounds by using physical activity as a lever to inspire positive change by building confidence, blocking isolation and reducing people’s risk of developing long-term health conditions.
The charity employs 17 staff and is using apprenticeships to upskill existing members of the team to help fulfil its ambitious growth plans and create a healthier county.
It has partnered with city-based Ignite Training whose tutors will deliver the education arm of each programme and provide guidance so those enrolled develop key skills, knowledge and behaviours which are relevant to their role.
Josh Lenthall, CEO of Active Oxfordshire, said investing in apprenticeships was a no-brainer for the charity as training is funded through the government’s apprenticeship levy.
“Apprenticeships are invaluable to Active Oxfordshire,” said Josh. “They allow us to fast track colleagues’ development which is of huge benefit to the individual and ourselves as a charity.
“We’ve quickly realised vocational education isn’t simply for young people leaving school or college.
“The apprenticeship programmes we have invested in are studied during a person’s working hours while they are earning, which is great for staff development and training on the job means they’re adding skillsets relevant to their role.
“Accessing levy funds makes this education pathway viable for us. We’ve experienced a significant period of growth in recent years, and realistically that trend will only continue as our programmes make a meaningful difference to the lives of people we engage.”
Two of Active Oxfordshire’s team have enrolled onto Ignite’s Level 5 Operations Management programme.
Healthy Active Neighbourhoods Manager Ellie Clarke-Jacques and Safeguarding and Welfare Manager Heidi Yates are both studying the course which upskills learners in areas such as performance management, communication, planning, organisation, negotiation and critical analysis.
Josh added: “We want to continually develop members of our team, that way our colleagues are never limited.
“It helps them to upskill in areas where they feel they have knowledge gaps, and because apprenticeships are delivered at different levels across a range of courses we can target areas where our team wants to improve.”
Aged 43, Heidi is studying her first apprenticeship after joining Active Oxfordshire from British Cycling and a previous career as a legal assistant.
She encouraged other people her age to consider how apprenticeships might be able to help them develop new skillsets relevant to their role.
“I joined Active Oxfordshire with no experience in line management, but really wanted to develop those skills,” said Heidi.
“Because the learning has been adapted to suit our work, I’ve found the course to be really useful. It’s been a while since I was last in long-term education as I went straight into work from school.
“But studying an apprenticeship has been a breath of fresh air and helpful to my professional and personal development.”
Further information about Ignite Training and its apprenticeship programmes is available online via www.ignitetraininguk.com.
