Strengthening Sailing Review Recommendations

1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and and and 14 15, 16 and and 19 20, 21 and and 24 25, 26, 27 and and and stage stage stage 38, 39 and and 42 43

Recommendation One - Customer Driven Focus YA develop a research brief and engage an external market research provider to conduct a national study to determine the attitudes, needs, priorities and preferences of current and targeted customers and translate these findings into a customer-driven core business focus Recommendation Two - YA Business Model YA develop a national business model (which explores the cost consequences of the various business opportunities and business model options emerging as a result of the research project) to clearly articulate what products and services the organisation will offer and how it will deliver these offerings to meet the needs of its targeted customers/audiences.

Recommendation Three - National Strategic Plan Having regard to the business model, the YA Board involve key stakeholders to develop a national strategic plan for ‘yachting in Australia’ that is future-focused with clear priorities and achievable objectives, strategies and responsibilities to focus, guide and align YA, MYA and the clubs towards the delivery of a national vision through the business model. Recommendation Four - National Pathways & Programs In consultation with its member stakeholders and the deliverers of the sport, YA develops a well-researched National Participation Pathway, which incorporates nationally branded and marketed participation programs (including Learn To Sail and Race with schools) featuring consistent product offerings that promote sailing’s value proposition and pathways to competitive, community and recreational sailors to maximise the promotion and uptake of participation in sailing at club levels.

Recommendation Five – Preferred Fleet The National Participation Programs should be supported by the endorsement and promotion by YA of a preferred fleet of boat classes to clubs which best support sailors’ progress from entry level through to the Olympic Classes. Recommendation Six - Program Development YA introduce a robust program development and assessment method based on DSS/PMS methodology to optimise the success potential of nationally developed sport/club development initiatives and minimise waste in resource allocation.

Recommendation Seven - Resource Awareness As a component of the national communication strategy, YA provide practical public forums and information to support participants and providers to accompany the release of the ‘About Yachting Australia’ brochure to help promote understanding and uptake of the tools that it already provides to clubs and MYAs. Recommendation Eight - Audit and Refresh Resources YA conduct an annual audit of its club development resources to identify those that still require development or refreshment.

Recommendation Nine - National Training Scheme YA develops a national education and awareness strategy to accelerate the adoption of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) cruising scheme by YATCs as the leading national scheme for Australia. Recommendation Ten - Professionalise Training YA promote a more professional and commercially focused delivery model for training to deliver a consistent and high-quality sailing proposition and experience for new entrants, which also increases the profitably of training services for providers

Recommendation Eleven - National Membership Scheme The new YA membership model be adopted as a nationally consistent scheme to simplify the administration of national affiliation (allowing YA to have oversight of individual membership information) and improve the accuracy of participation reporting. Recommendation Twelve - Officiating Implementation Following the completion of the National Officiating Program review, YA commit to the development of printed and electronic resources supported by a national communication and education strategy to foster the ongoing recruitment of officials in order to ensure the ongoing supply of qualified and high-quality race officials for sailing.

Recommendation Thirteen - Preserve the Legacy YA/AST continue to formalise its approach to the process of capturing the AST developed IP and systems and undertake appropriate succession planning for key management and coaching personnel in the lead up to the 2008 Olympics with continuity through to a post-Games review and beyond. The sharing of knowledge needs to flow through to all state high- performance programs to enhance the delivery, performance and professionalisation of the sub-elite sailing programs. Recommendation Fourteen - AST Pathway Model State High Performance programs continue to integrate with the AST preferred elite pathway for sailing’s athletes and coaches and focus their role on identifying and developing sub-elite athletes (development squad) and coaches within their state.

Recommendation Fifteen - Talent Development (Coach) YA/AST continue and build upon current initiatives (Professional Development Days, Elite Coaching Development Scholarships) to enhance Recommendation Sixteen - National Sailing Centre As soon as practicable, YA and the AIS jointly conduct a feasibility study to assess the desired infrastructure, training service elements, associated costs and potential funding sources to establish a permanent NSC and home base for the AST/AIS Sailing Team in Sydney Harbour. Recommendation Seventeen - AIS Europe YA investigate the opportunities to deliver cost efficiencies to the AST program through the sharing of resources with other sports based at the AIS Europe location.

Recommendation Eighteen – Innovation Management YA/AST/AIS* establish a Sailing Innovation advisory panel and create formalised innovation management system to assess, develop and apply appropriate innovations and technology to the AST/AIS sailing program. Recommendation Nineteen - Benchmarking YA/AST/AIS conduct a benchmarking review following the 2008 Olympics and continue to observe and explore the level of analysis in the sailing programs of the leading countries and broaden the search and source of benchmarks and innovation that can be applied across the disciplines.

Recommendation Twenty - Sailing’s Brand YA develop a joint YA/MYA strategic and tactical brand strategy aligned with yachting’s strategic plan objectives to ensure a consistent and coherent execution of sailing’s brand, story and values through the correct channels to connect to targeted audiences (media and consumers). Recommendation Twenty-One - Activate the Brand YA and the MYAs co-deliver and communicate the key research outcomes and associated consumer brand strategy to clubs to enable the sailing consumer brand and values to be brought to life. Recommendation Twenty-Two - Brand Performance YA commit to an annual research program to measure the degree of positive movement towards sailing’s desired brand image and to enable the sailing story to be refined as required for targeted audiences.

Recommendation Twenty-Three - Media Expertise YA with the assistance of an external expert consultant develop a clearly articulated media and communications strategy, which is aligned with the strategic plan and brand strategy (desired brand image and values) of yachting. Recommendation Twenty-Four - Media Tactical Support YA engage a media and communications consultant to provide tactical support to the YA marketing manager to implement the YA media/communications/marketing strategy and develop and manage media relationships on behalf of YA.

Recommendation Twenty-Five: Commercial Plan YA immediately refresh the Sponsorship and Marketing Plan and broaden the content of the plan to encompass and integrate all commercial development strategies and activities (YA and AST) into a YA national commercial operations plan for Recommendation Twenty-Six - Commercial Capacity YA appoint an external commercial partner to implement Option 2 (outsourced sponsorship acquisition) or 3 (shared risk/reward model) as soon as practicable. Recommendation Twenty-Seven – Sponsorship Dev. YA Commercial Operations Plan contains specific financial and non- financial performance targets which benefit and foster the development of both High Performance and Community sailing initiatives Recommendation Twenty-Eight YA, with the assistance of MYAs, conduct an audit of current and potential sponsorship properties which could be jointly aggregated, packaged and marketed by YA to current and prospective sponsors.

Recommendation Twenty-Nine - Company Structure YA incorporate as a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth).

Recommendation Thirty That the role of the Federal Assembly should be defined in the YA Constitution as:  determining the composition of the elected directors of the Board that will independently act in good faith on behalf of all members of the sport, including non-voting members;  making changes to the constitution in General Meeting as required;  meeting annually at a strategic forum to contribute and influence the shape and overall strategic direction of the sport and to monitor the performance of the YA Board against the deliverables and success measures of the strategic plan;  consider the financial statements and performance of YA at the AGM; and  providing an effective two-way communication conduit between its members and the YA Board.

Recommendation Thirty-One In accordance with the requirements of The Corporations Act 2001, that clause 11.1 (The Board – Powers and Meetings) be amended to reflect that the YA board is the governing authority of the sport and is responsible for determining and acting on all national issues, determining and managing the operating budget, and issuing of policy directives in accordance with the objects of the Federation. Clause 11.7 of the YA constitution is amended so that the YA board is empowered to approve the annual budget of YA. Clause of the YA constitution is amended so that the YA board is empowered to approve the amounts and decision of annual subscription and levies payable by members.

Recommendation Thirty-Two The term of the YA President/Chairman would be a two- year appointment* with a maximum of two consecutive terms. *While an indicative two-year appointment has been recommended, the YA President and Chair must have the support of the Board to make the position tenable. Therefore, the recommendation of the two-year appointment is made with the provision for the President/Chair to be reviewed by the elected and appointed Directors from ‘time to time’.

Recommendation Thirty-Three: Terms of Elected Directors Elected Directors be appointed for two-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Recommendation Thirty-Four: Terms of Appointed Directors At the same time as notice is given convening the AGM at which the election is to occur, the non-retiring Directors would nominate up to three persons for each vacancy who possess skills which address identified gaps of the current board. Election of each Director would be determined by an exhaustive ballot

Recommendation Thirty-Five: Terms and Nominations of Appointed Directors Consistent with Clause 9.10 of the YA Constitution, the Board has the opportunity to appoint other Directors through the Board Nominations Committee process based on identified needs following a skills audit of the elected Directors. The terms of any Appointed Directors would be two years with the ability of these Directors to continue if required by the Board. Recommendation Thirty-Six: Independence of Directors The YA constitution be amended to prohibit a YA Director from simultaneously holding office in a voting member organisation.

Recommendation Thirty-Seven - Structural Reform Stage One: 2007–08 to 2009–10 In consultation with state associations, YA fully implement Option 5 between 2008–09 to 2009–10 incorporating the constitutional and behavioural changes outlined in this report that are needed to effectively implement YA’s business model (i.e. a federated structure with elements of unitary behaviour).This remains subject to this Option being evaluated annually to ensure that it remains the most appropriate structure to support the YA’s business strategy and agreed performance targets.

Recommendation Thirty-Seven - Structural Reform Stage Two: 2010–11 to 2012–13 In consultation with state associations, YA adopt the hybrid model of governance set out in Option 3 from 2010–11 unless it can be shown otherwise that Option 5 remains the most appropriate structure to support YA’s business strategy and achievement of agreed performance targets.

Recommendation Thirty-Seven - Structural Reform Stage Three: 2013–14 onwards That YA, in consultation with state associations, adopt the unitary model of governance set out in Option 2 from 2013–14 unless it can be shown otherwise that the model then in place (either Option 5 or Option 3) is the most appropriate structure to support the YA business strategy and achievement of agreed performance targets.

Recommendation Thirty-Eight: Board Skills Assessment The YA board undergoes an annual independent assessment process to ensure it has the best possible skill sets, terms of appointment and succession planning to confirm the broad strategic direction and priorities of the YA business Recommendation Thirty-Nine: Performance Assessment The YA board undergoes an annual independent assessment process which reviews and evaluates the performance of the Board as a whole. Recommendation Forty: Roles & Responsibilities As part of the strategic planning processes, YA and the MYAs clearly define their roles and responsibilities and commit to documenting them in a jointly accountable and contractual national Performance Management System aligned with the desired strategic plan outcomes.

Recommendation Forty-One: Empowered Management The YA Board empowers the YA management team and provides them with a structure that enables management to deliver the agreed goals and priorities of the strategic plan and provides them with clearly articulated measurable performance targets supported by a robust national Performance Management System. Recommendation Forty-Two: PMS Dev/Implementation The ASC should assist YA to construct and implement a Performance Management System (PMS) to improve the quality of decision-making by both the Board and management. Once established, the YA CEO and Board should seek to partner with all MYAs to consistently implement the PMS nationally.

Recommendation Forty-Three: Charter Agreement YA and the MYAs commit to and document in a charter agreement a working environment of trust, accountability, open communication and unity of purpose in order to achieve the goals and priorities articulated in the new national strategic plan and national PMS.