North Strategy DayBrighouse4th November 2010
North Strategy DayBrighouse4th November 2010
McCain Athletics Networks
Welcome to the dayWhy we are here…
Well done!
We are North!
Current landscape
Real life, no rehearsals
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterbox…
Today’s GroupsTable 1
Bradford
Leeds
Manchester
Table 2
Cheshire
Merseyside
Calderdale
North Yorkshire
Table 3
Greater Manchester East
County Durham
NOTAN
Humber
Table 4
South Cumbria & North Lancs
North Yorkshire
Northumberland
Isle of Man
Reporting &Success FactorsReporting &Success Factors
Team North – Athletics Network Day
Why Report? England Athletics are Government funded
to deliver our whole sport plan.
We therefore need to report back to funders such as Sport England on the progress Networks are making.
Money is distributed to Networks based on projects in their delivery plan (£1.5m in the North), and as such they are accountable for this money and need to report on a quarterly basis.
Areas To Report On Club Structures
Coaching
Club Sharing
Wider Partnerships
Growth in participation
Retaining members year on year
Excel pathway
Sustainability (and partnership funding)
What Should Be In The Report? What has been delivered by the Network
What the IMPACT of that delivery has been i.e.
Changes to club structures
Additional members / volunteers
Development of coaching pathway
Additional competition opportunities
Future investment secured
Impact ExamplesNetwork Reviews Club Structures
Having reviewed club structures individually and identified gaps, the Network can now advertise and recruit for specific volunteer positions within the clubs
Network Clubs Produce Athlete Induction Pack
Clubs can now give athletes & parents a quality introduction to the club
Club have seen a retention in numbers since implementing the new induction pack
Parents have given positive feedback
Impact Examples – Cont’dNetwork Produces Coach Induction Pack
New coaches are now given greater guidance and support on entry into the club
Greater retention of coaches passing Assistant Coach / Athletics Leader qualifications as a result of induction pack
Network Hosts Volunteer Recruitment Evening
24 members of the community have volunteered to help in the club, 8 of which have started coaching in the junior section
Additional coaches means the network has greater capacity for more members
Impact Examples Cont’dNetwork Hosts Flying Coach Visit
12 Coaches have received updated information on youth development
This flying visit has resulted in the junior section of network clubs adopting Athletics 365 and the coaches delivering with more confidence.
Junior membership has increased, and more members are being retained through the winter thanks to a more diverse and challenging syllabus of training
Success FactorsHow Do You Know Your Network Is Achieving?
Coach Development
Volunteer Development
Club Structures
Club Sharing
Sustainability
What Are The Problems Within These Areas?
What Are The Solutions?
Planning for Years 2 & 3Planning for Years 2 & 3
North Strategy Day
Year OneBrief Analysis – Planning Only
What worked?
What needs changing?
Where are you now?
Where do you want to be?
Years 2 & 3
When to start
Involvement of whole network
Commitment to planning process
Sustainability thoughts?
Success Factors Document
Hopes and Fears!
Break
Project Management Project Management
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Project Management – possible issues
♦Projects get left for the network coordinator to lead everything
♦Network plan is seen as a complete project
♦Who is responsible or accountable for each project?
♦What does the project mean? What’s does the result look like? Why is the network doing this specific project?
♦Project not right for the network!
Project Management
TASK IN GROUPS :
Discuss how project planning is currently carried out within your networks?
How effective are the methods you use?
Project Management – golden rules
♦Identify a project lead for each project – create a project team to support the delivery of the project
♦Create a project plan using a step by step approach
♦Outline who is responsible / accountable for each part of the plan
♦Have clear aims & objectives - outline what you want to achieve
Project Management – golden rules
♦Timescales – when do things need to be done?
♦Monitor & review as the project progresses
♦Evaluate on completion
♦If the project isn’t right - change it!
Wider Partners Wider Partners
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Wider Partners
•Who are they?
•Who are we currently work with?
•What benefits do they bring to the network?
Wider Partners
•Large range of partners
•Different partners and relationships in the different areas
•How the are supporting the network, wider Athletics development
•Sustainability of the relationship, will they be there long term
•Funding
Time Management Time Management
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Time Management – possible issues
♦All Coordinators have different roles in each Network
♦Volunteers have higher expectations from paid staff
♦Trying to do a full time role in part time hours
♦The coordinator or chairs do not or and should not be trying to do all the work
Time Management
TASK IN GROUPS :
What other tasks do you undertake as part of your role which is not part of network plan?
How much time does this take up?
Time Management – golden rules
♦Plan your time effectively – make sure that the work load is spread out and not left to the last minute
♦Stick to your network plan – don’t do extra projects / tasks that are not in the plan
♦Make sure when you are planning workloads, you show priority to the volunteers, club members, coaches within the network
Time Management – golden rules
♦ Can you link with key partners involved in the network to assist with generic tasks, eg marketing?
♦Remember to deliver the network plan – not other peoples agendas
♦Be strong and say No if you are asked to do things over and above your network role
Club & Coach Officer SupportClub & Coach Officer Support
North Strategy Day
CCSO SupportEmployed Network Staff – with AL
Chairs/ Networks with no staffing – with CCSO’s
CCSO Support
What do individuals need?
Current level of support
Working with Chairs and volunteers
Line management
Sustainability of posts
FOOD AND NETWORKING
Andy’s Recap...
•Reporting/ Success Factors and KPIWhat the new form asks – not relevant to local plansChanging the goal posts•Planning Years two and three..Different for each networkDoing it in Plenty of time, consulting everyone and recognising change•Project ManagementTraining?If project is not right a good plan will not sort it outCo-ordinator does not manage everything•Wider PartnersBenefits ( both ways) of involving partners – non traditional•Time ManagementPart time hours v full time roleDeadlines – ongoing reporting and evaluating early and regular
Year 4 and beyond Year 4 and beyond
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Food for thought...•100% of network incomes is from external sources or income generation (rather than EA network grant) •Network structure (voluntary) continues post funding as identified under Club Sharing section. •All required income is generated by network to deliver required support and development for coaches and volunteers. (as per club and coaches section)
•Network implements a 3 year (min) development/action plan for network
Year 4 onwards.....
However, have networks considered year 4 and beyond?
Discussion
•Do you think your network will still exist in year 4 when the money stops?
•If so why?
•If not what can you start doing tomorrow to ensure this does not happen?
Do you have a long term strategy or aim of the network or are you simply living on one year funding / action plans?
FinanceFinance
North Strategy Day
FinanceKey Issues
Where we are missing out
What’s happening on a weekly basis?
Forecasting and spend
Quarterly meetings with CCSO?
Experts? Assistance? Hosts?
Marketing and Communication Marketing and Communication
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Marketing and Communication – external •Branding – which networks have a brand? – uses of logos, professional image
•How do you let the wider world know about the network?•Websites (young and old), print media, newsletters, tv, email, press releases
•What do you let the wider world know (how do you sell your messages?)•Promotion of events – advert, poster, email, local media•Promotion of clubs – story, promotion of race, poster, letter•Good news stories – local media, human interest•How do you use M&C to help delivery your plan – why are you spending time doing M&C?
•PR /Marketing – Who is there to help?
•Impact News – how are you selling your network to the Funders – Case studies
Marketing and Communication – Internal / Clubs
•On the Street – if I asked general club members, coaches, athletes and even club committee members of the network clubs how many would be able to tell me
•They have heard of the network?•What the network plan is?•What the money is being spent on? – have they even accessed it?
•Who from their club represent them?•How they get feedback on the network/ how they fed in?
•How do we communicate with ‘Club Members’?
Marketing and Communication - Recap
•Shout about it
•One of the most important parts
•External – selling what message, demonstrating impact
•Internal – buy in, key for the success of the network
Ensuring Buy in of all Network ClubsEnsuring Buy in of all Network Clubs
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day
Buy in of all clubs – possible issues.
♦One club is perceived to be leading on all aspects of the plan and not allowing other clubs to input.
♦Clubs don’t see how been part of the network can benefit their network. Only concerned with progressing their club in the immediate future.
♦One individual is perceived to be taking the lead on all aspects of network strategy.
Buy in of all clubs
TASK IN GROUPS :
How can we ensure all clubs and volunteers buy in and contribute to the network?
What methods can you use to reach out and engage those clubs who are resisting and not contributing?
How can you get clubs and volunteers from outside the network to become involved?
Where Next?Where Next?
McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy Day
Where Next?
Collate information
Continue to work 121
Any specialist areas from today?
Network thoughts – feedback forms
Q&A – now or following
Thank you!