Sport England has given sector skills council SkillsActive a £350,000 grant as part of efforts to improve the skill levels of people working in sport.

The one-year investment will support SkillsActive's work in general as it aims to help sports bodies bridge existing skills gaps of those already working in sport as well as to help train and prepare new staff.

Sport England director of sport, Phil Smith, said: "Dedicated sports development staff with the right skills and access to training is really important in achieving our goal of getting more people playing sport.

SkillsActive Chief Executive, Ian Taylor, said: "Sport England's ambition to create a sporting habit for life cannot be achieved without an appropriately skilled workforce.

"We also know from our position as a licensed Sector Skills Council that there is a direct correlation between training and a sector's growth and prosperity, with every £1 spent having a £20 resultant impact on productivity."