Clubs: Strategic Outcomes
Landscape 1,270 affiliated clubs 120,000 affiliated athletes (up from 98k in 2009) age 11 + Estimated the same number of volunteers working in clubs 65% off track clubs Majority of athletes aged between 5-16 and 25+ (65,000 + aged 25 plus) Affiliation restructure 2013 + 1.9m recreational athletes
We are growing are we fit for purpose to respond? LONDON 2017
The Big Society Community empowerment (Club/network led shaping local need) Opening up public services (asset utilisation) Social Action (Volunteers at the heart )
Clubs past and future Clubs of the Past Stand alone Competition led Slow to change Competitive Focused on improving club competitive performance Un Commercial Exist for the benefit of their members Clubs of the Future Networked Coach & Athlete Development led Adaptive Collaborative Focused on improving Athletics in their community Self financing within their community Exist for the benefit of members and their community
Clubs - challenges Finding skilled volunteers Attracting funding to maintain and develop facilities Managing administration and welfare issues Providing a quality experience to young people Finding officials for competition Attracting more people from diverse backgrounds Attracting skilled coaches
Challenges 09 and before... Dynamics of athletics clubs Diversity of athletics clubs Culture in athletics clubs Post code lottery treatment of athletics clubs Catching up with other sports Facilities
ATHLETICS NETWORKS 2012 LEGACY IS ATHLETICS READY? 30 month Sport England review
52 Athletics Networks; 409 clubs actively engaged (although closer to 500 clubs benefiting); These 409 clubs represent 58,031 competing athletes; Of these 409 clubs: 73 clubs are track and field only 336 clubs offer road running/ recreational running 143 of the 336 clubs are solely road running.
Networks Family
Three Key Priorities: Coach Development; Club Development; Mass Participation. Improving club structures, so that they can provide 2012 legacy.
Is athletics ready? In developing the networks there has been a twin approach to grow and sustain: 1. To help clubs sustain existing members and set-up initiatives that allows them to increase participation now i.e. RE 2. To help clubs create a sustainable high quality environment that allows them to sustain growth after London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
England Athletics, supported by Sport England Volunteering Centre of Excellence, launched an inspire Marked Volunteer Programme. This provides a range of tools and resources which have been adopted by networks to grow the volunteer workforce. With twelve months to go, England Athletics launched the Are you ready campaign to challenge all clubs and coaches to ensure they are ready. includes linking with Sports Makers Programme
3 Coaching conferences Media push and focused club work Club open day turn up and have a go Athletics force putting athletics clubs in the heart of every community
Club structures
Inclusion work Focus on inclusion within all network activity Working with networks to be proactive when it comes to disability Linking networks to Playground to Podium e.g. Hants and IOW wheelchair racing project, Suffolk Disability Inclusion Training.
Facility and asset utilisation work
Is the network approach working? Qualitative cause and effect!
Sport England Active People data shows a positive rise in participation in athletics.
Although Active People data shows participation is increasing this is only part of jigsaw. All data correlate to show the impact of the investment.
Network data Network are reporting an increase of between 15 and 20% This include non-competitive members not collated through affiliation This also includes under 11. Clubs in networks are growing quickly
Network data Network are reporting that they are delivering 313 Run England groups. Run England membership data is rising fast every week 16,000 +
Network data Network are reporting that over 525,000 participants have benefitted from the work of networks in the first 30 months. In the last quarter alone just under 33,000 club members and 3800 coaches benefitted from the work of the network
Sheffield Report Important to validate all EA findings. Sheffield University undertook network review. Looking at Active People, membership and facility development for network clubs and running groups
Sheffield Report Key observation: Average membership has increased in size across all clubs between 2008 and 2010. Network clubs are significantly larger than non-network clubs, and grew at a faster rate over the period.
Excel targets The Coaching Pathway (LCDP and NCDP) and Athlete Pathway (LTAD) link directly into the delivery of networks. Networks (although not primary focus) are providing greater local competition (composite teams) and therefore developing the pre-elite athlete pool. Networks are driving up standards, and in partnership with other EA programmes (such as NCDP), are leading to achievement of excel targets.
Examples... County Durham (Year 2) 1. Increase in Junior Membership in 2010/11 the Network delivered 1,000 hours of athletics coaching to 6,000 school children In addition, 2,000 pupils across the Network competed in short format competition within inter-school competition Outcome: this resulted in 160 new junior club members 2. Increase in adult membership: in 2010 three Run England groups continued to operate within two of the Clubs within the Network. Outcome: In total 100 new adult members joined members and collected an additional 1,000 income from subscriptions. 3. Increased number of coaches and volunteers in the Club setting. 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 County Durham Athletics Network 366 394 447
Examples... Armada (Year 2) 1. Increase in Participation he overall membership of clubs in the network has increased by 20% in the two years The network have continued to develop their series of 3K and 5K time trials on a monthly basis which are now attracting over a 100 runners each time. This has been beneficial for performance athletes, junior athletes and also new runners who have progressed each month as their training develops. This has also raised funds for the network. Network has implemented over 30 Run England groups in Armada area. Overall the network have impacted on all the clubs ensuring that the development of coaches, volunteers and athletes is continuing at the pace required to make a sustainable difference to the long term future of the network beyond the end of year 3. 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Armada Athletics Network (Plymouth +) 1,227 1,372 1,389
Embedded in the sport; Network Future Vision Investment in outputs based on a tight focus (menu of service): Coaching development: Leaders, and assistant coach level (growing capacity) Mentoring and buddying. Club (and volunteer) development: Athletics 365 (sustaining participation with focus 14-17); Whole Club Development and club accreditation (all clubs); Volunteer recruitment and retention; Inclusive clubs; Leadership management. Mass participation Run England and ensuring transition to club environments; School club links (focus on 13+) and ensuring transition to satellite club/clubs activity; Multi-event competition London 2012 Legacy (Are you ready post games including Sport Makers)
Sustainability increasing income into the sport at the local level; Coordination clubs are essential in sustaining participation, they provide life long participation opportunities to those who have been engaged through community engagement initiatives (School club link, Run England, Sport Makers). Networks provide the link between external agencies who are providing opportunities and the clubs ensuring those people are sustained within the sport. As wider partners i.e. County Sports Partnerships, take a more active role in delivery, there is an increased need for networks to be coordination the athlete progression pathway to clubs to ensure we see sustained participation and not short term take-up with high turnover. Avoid overlap between multiple agencies delivering similar programmes locally Facilities and Asset transfer Leadership skills at local level Linking with other sports and sport facilities Workplace engagement Network Future Challenges Professionalisation of coaches and clubs Volunteer recruitment Official recruitment post 2012 drop-out!