Double Olympic champion Max Whitlock has teamed up with leisure operator Everyone Active and awarding organisation Active IQ to launch a new coaching qualification aimed at ensuring more children participate in gymnastics.

The new Active IQ Level 2 in Gymnastics – which received approval from Ofqual on the Regulated Qualifications Framework – will be used to upskill Everyone Active instructors to deliver gymnastics coaching.

All coaches who pass the assessments will receive a formal Level 2 Award in Max Whitlock Gymnastics certification.

The course educates participants about the design and delivery of gymnastics sessions, instructs them on how to progress young people through different stages and educates them in health and safety standards.

The move is part of aims by Max Whitlock Gymnastics and Everyone Active to engage one million children in gymnastics by 2022.

Whitlock has been heavily involved in the design of the programme and its accompanying qualification.

“I'm delighted to have teamed up with Everyone Active to ensure that more young people are given the opportunity to enjoy gymnastics," Whitlock said.

"It’s extremely exciting to have developed this qualification, and I’m looking forward to seeing the difference it makes to young people’s engagement in the sport.

“I know first-hand that Everyone Active offers brilliant facilities all over the country, and now we are able to get more young people making the most of them through the delivery of Max Whitlock Gymnastics sessions.”

Harvey Gosling, Everyone Active’s group training manager, added: “This qualification will make a real difference to our ability to get more children active.

"Working with Max Whitlock Gymnastics, we identified that a lack of qualified coaches was preventing more young people accessing the sport. The Active IQ Level 2 Award in Max Whitlock Gymnastics will support us to overcome this by ensuring we have the right people in place to cater for the growing demand in gymnastics.

Max Whitlock Gymnastics delivers structured sessions that give children the chance to develop and perfect their skills as they progress. They have the opportunity to try their hand on a number of apparatus and take part in activities. The programme has launched in a number of Everyone Active sites across the country.