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Empowering inclusive, reputable sports networks
Introduction to Club Together
We know that not all activity providers or sports clubs fit within the traditional model of support on offer. There are so many opportunities out there to help organisations grow and flourish, but most importantly, they can play a leading role in helping each other.
The right training, funding and resources can go a long way to creating a good, safe and inclusive sports club, but if we all work together to share experiences, challenges and good practice, we can take our clubs from good, to great.
We will identify ‘anchor organisations’, who will play a leading role in creating, nurturing and activating a network of community organisations who will be ‘more than sport’, to help local active people engage in their local places and spaces. A strong network of community providers will provide a united voice in championing local needs and aspirations.
Club Together - Project aims:
• To help communities build stronger and safer provision, nurturing them to successfully engage inactive and more diverse audiences.
• In a place-based approach, develop a collaborative network model for sports clubs and community organisations to share, connect and innovate across their local spaces.
• To empower clubs to take ownership of their network, building relationships with new inactive audiences and providing a united voice for their communities in championing local need.
Definition of Club Together networks and Anchor organisations
Our anchor organisations will be at the heart of driving this project forwards. We will carefully select them based on the below criteria and will also create a network for them to meet with us and other partners to hear about all the latest opportunities, shape their plans and share learning and impact:
A Club Together network should involve two or more organisations working towards shared outcomes within their geographical patch. In its simplest form it will involve the exchanging of information and ideas, with a focus on common interests, sharing problems and developing a collaborative approach to engaging local communities.
Each Club Together network shall be unique in its makeup, depending on the nature of the members involved and the needs identified by those members. Whilst there may be one Network lead or anchor (individual/organisation):
A Club Together network must…
• Represent the needs of the local community
• Provide a safe space for organisations to share challenges and ideas
• Identify opportunities to work together
• Develop an action plan to make positive changes to the community
A Club Together network could…
• Run local events and activities to reach new groups within the community
• Match organisations with likeminded network members to support each other
• Apply for funding on behalf of the network to deliver shared goals
It’s important that networks are allowed to grow and evolve naturally, although we envisage that they may welcome achieving the following:
• Increasing & diversifying membership*
• Accessing funding together*
• Sharing of places and spaces*
• Collective buying
• Connecting with new, diverse groups*
• Developing strong governance*
• Creating events and promotions
• Bidding for funding together*
• Gathering insight into local communities
• Setting up new activities*
• Sharing training courses & workforce development*
*This has been reinforced by our findings so far in the Big Club Survey.
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Sport Birmingham will…
• Identify a range of organisations in each geographical area to set up a Club Together network
• Organise the initial network meetings to bring potential anchor organisations together
• Facilitate the running of the network and mentor the anchor organisations
• Develop a term of reference for the network and provide guidance on becoming a constituted group
• Provide the start-up funding for the network
An Anchor organisation will:
• Be impartial, inclusive, adaptable, and collaborative
• Be representative and accepted by their community
• Have strong governance and track record (e.g., bank account, structured organisation)
• Experienced and lead by example