North Strategy Day Brighouse 4 th November 2010 North Strategy Day Brighouse 4 th November 2010 McCain Athletics Networks

Welcome to the day Why 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 Groups Table 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 Factors Reporting & 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 Examples Network 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’d Network 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’d Network 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 Factors How 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 & 3 North Strategy Day

Year One Brief 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 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 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 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 Support North Strategy Day

CCSO Support Employed 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 KPI What the new form asks – not relevant to local plans Changing the goal posts Planning Years two and three.. Different for each network Doing it in Plenty of time, consulting everyone and recognising change Project Management Training? If project is not right a good plan will not sort it out Co-ordinator does not manage everything Wider Partners Benefits ( both ways) of involving partners – non traditional Time Management Part time hours v full time role Deadlines – ongoing reporting and evaluating early and regular

Year 4 and beyond McCain Athletics Networks North Strategy day

Food for thought % 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?

Finance North Strategy Day

Finance Key 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 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, , press releases What do you let the wider world know (how do you sell your messages?) Promotion of events – advert, poster, , 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 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? 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!