Forward Thinking Series 2015 Summary of key themes – a road map for the future of sport in Victoria

Emerging and Leading Thinkers Forums 2 The series...

Outcomes | Shared understanding of the key challenges and opportunities our Industry is facing Shared vision for how our Industry could look in 5 years Shared outcomes in terms of the impact and the difference our Industry will make Purpose Revisited # 1 3

Shared plan for how we will achieve our outcomes and our vision and identification of the capability- building requirements e.g. from technical skills to identification of human centred needs A commitment to lead an industry response that is broader than this event, your role and your own organisation. Purpose Revisited # 2 4

Five (5) key themes emerged from each of the workshops and forums

Explanatory notes: This was a strong theme throughout all of the workshops and forums. It is also strongly supported in current research by both peak bodies and individual Sporting Organisations. Discussions centred on a need for a non competitive, flexible and easily accessible alternative product. This product should target adults as this is a market segment that many sports have not explored to a great extent and again is supported by the research. 1.There is a need for all sports to develop a viable alternative product offering (with an emphasis on adults).

Explanatory notes: Although this has been a conversation in the Sports Industry for many years, the workshops and forums highlighted a need for action. There is a need to recognise, support and grow the area social participation as this is recognised as a growth area. 2. Greater emphasis (in terms of policy, planning, and resources) must be placed on participation and in particular social participation.

Explanatory notes: Discussions at the forums and workshops suggested that the development of local hubs/clubs could be explored and trialled in selected sports to reduce the pressure on volunteers, and act as a cross pollination of promotion strategies and workforces. 3. The development of local multi- sport hubs/clubs needs to be considered.

Explanatory notes: In order to maximise limited resources and gain better outcomes, sports organisations need to work together in formalised partnerships that have clear objectives and expected outputs. Sports of “like” or similar capacity and objectives are seen to have the most potential, however the concept could be relevant for all sports organisations. 4. Sports organisations need to have a better, more formalised cross fertilisation of ideas, strategies and resources to stop duplication.

Explanatory notes: The sports industry has traditionally been poor at capturing participation data, analysing it and then using it for a conversation to attract supporters (both government and private sponsors) and a greater range of participants. Technology has provided the industry with the opportunity to collect data in a timely and low cost way. 5. There is a need to use technology to better capture data and present an evidence based case for “why sport”?

The next steps Verification of key themes and further work on the associated actions by the Leading Thinkers. 2.Trial more intense facilitated work (Innovation labs) with sele cted sports 3.Support sports to develop actions related to the key themes through facilitated workshops (Open space workshops).