PROFILE
chartership, but says: “One would hope that certainly those at the top of their pro- fession – with a minimum of five years’ management experience and appropriate qualifications – will apply and be accepted.”
NEW PACKAGES Alongside raising IMSPA’s profile within the sector, another key focus for the board this year is member- ship recruitment. With all up-to-date subscriptions to ISRM and ISPAL automati- cally transferred, the goal now is to broaden and increase the membership to make good IMSPA’s claim of representing the whole of the active sector.
IMSPA wants to represent the whole of the active sector in the UK
“WE'RE NOT SET UP TO BE A LOBBYIST ORGANISATION. OUR ROLE IS MORE ABOUT BEING A CRITICAL FRIEND TO GOVERNMENT”
As Holt points out, the new institute will draw its members from a much broader cohort than either of its fore- runners, with professionals working in research, policy, administration and events management being actively tar- geted alongside those employed by sports and fitness operators and sup- pliers. “There are over a million people working in this sector,” says Holt. He is equally clear, however, on who
the institute doesn’t represent. “I think it’s very clear that the parks people are now working with [the parks mem- bership organisation] GreenSpace, and that’s absolutely fine,” he says. “We can work very closely with GreenSpace, but we’re clear our remit is around sport and physical activity.” As well as individual membership packages, the new institute is offering three ‘partnership packages’ aimed at increasing membership. The first is a corporate partner package giving major employers, local authorities and other professional organisations (such as Sport England and sporta) the oppor- tunity to be associated with IMSPA, while offering discounted membership and other benefits to their employees; the second is a skills development partner package for higher education and further education providers, aimed at bringing student members on board; and the third is a registered supplier package, offering specific benefits to the commercial companies that supply the activity sector.
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But why should employers and edu- cation providers get involved with a body that only offers membership to individuals? Holt is clear on this: “Because, from their point of view, it demonstrates to their own stake- holders and customers that they are committed to raising standards of pro- fessional practice and investing in their staff… and because there’s a clear correlation between the quality of staff and output of an organisation.” In return, he hopes that membership numbers will see a significant boost from the partnerships, with good rea- son – sporta alone has 46,000 staff across its 100-plus leisure trusts and enterprises, and has already publicly urged them all to join IMSPA.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY The new institute’s relationship- building efforts are given additional impetus by the location of its HQ at SportPark, the £15m development which opened in Loughborough last year and is home to numerous top sports governing bodies and national sports organisations, from the England and Wales Cricket Board to the English Federation for Disability Sport, Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust. “Being in this environment is certainly helpful, because the institute is at the heart of the community from which it hopes to attract its membership,” says Holt. “And our relationship with our neighbours is excellent.”
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But although IMSPA is based in the UK capital of sport, Holt points out there is a strong emphasis on regional initiatives and opportunities. “We’ve got 10 vibrant regions which have a key role to play – not only in supporting members within their geo- graphical patch, but also in making sure we’re close enough to the ground to understand their individual needs… because there are different issues in Wales than in Northern Ireland and in Scotland,” he says. “The regions for me are fundamental to our success.” Something that will be less central to IMSPA is lobbying. “We’re not set up to be a lobbyist organisation,” says Holt. “Our role is more about being a critical friend to government… to sup- port initiatives and policy proposals, but also to challenge in a constructive way on behalf of the industry where we feel there's a need.”
As to the challenges ahead, Holt says raising standards will be a focus for some time to come – especially as the Olympics loom. “2012 is a spot- light on sport, but it's also a spotlight on standards,” he says. “We’ve got to make sure that whatever legacies come out of the Olympics, the people driving and delivering those legacies are of the standard to sustain them going forward. It’s a fantastic opportu- nity for the new professional body.” l
Rhianon Howells is a freelance journalist
ISSUE 4 2011 © cybertrek 2011
PHOTO:
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ BORIS MRDJA
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