The PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP) is a personalised support service which recognises that cricket is likely to be the main focus in a player’s life while they are playing, but that playing cricket represents a relatively short part of a cricketer’s working life.
The aim of the PDWP is “to enable individuals to excel and develop sustainable performance within and outside of cricket.”
Our PDWP Model
Our PDWP model places our members at the centre of all that we do, and neatly encapsulates how we support professional cricketers, our key focus areas and the values of the PCA given its status as the players’ union.
Four pillars of support
The PDWP has four main pillars of support:
- Welfare and wellbeing:Â Supporting individuals’ welfare and wellbeing through promotion, prevention and intervention strategies.
- Professional behaviours:Â Challenging individuals to align habits, choices and behaviours with the expectations, standards and reputation of the game and beyond.
- Career development:Â Empowering individuals to explore, develop and maximise life-long learning and career development.
- Change and transition:Â Equipping individuals to navigate changes and transitions within and outside of cricket.
Specialist guidance
The Personal Development Managers (PDMs) develop strong professional relationships with county directors of cricket, the eight women’s domestic regional centres, CEOs, coaches and medical staff. PDMs are required to maintain high levels of independence, integrity and confidentiality in line with the PCA’s code of conduct.
PDMs provide support and guidance to players on a variety of issues such as education, career and family whilst keeping their cricketing focus. Their aim is to work closely with the players, coaches and support staff to minimise potential concerns and distractions which could adversely affect a players’ performance or career.
Widening identity & self-awareness
Establishing an identity outside of being a professional cricketer is critical for the mental health and wellbeing of PCA members. The average career in professional cricket comes to an end at the age of just 26, and therefore one of the key aims of the PDWP is to put players in the right mindset to prepare for life outside of the game.
As part of the PDWP, the PCA runs taster courses which give players the opportunity to develop transferable skills or enhance existing ones. The Association’s seven-strong team of PDMs is always on hand to offer players one-on-one confidential advice, enabling professional cricketers to broaden their horizons and excel not just as players, but also as individuals.
