Participation in Sport

Participation StrategicPlan

2015———2020

CONTENTS

Participation in sport

Participation in sport, and all forms of physical activity, has recently achieved key international support by inclusion of sports programs in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Sport is recognised for contributions to “the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities as well as health, education and social inclusion objectives”.

However, the positive potential of sport does not develop automatically. The establishment of a high level of participation in sport requires a professional and socially responsible intervention which is tailored to the relevant social and cultural context. In Australia this comes from an established sports industry including government agencies (Australian Sports Commission, State Departments of Sport and Recreation etc), National and State/Territory sports organisations, individual sports clubs, professional and volunteer human resources and commercial sponsorship. Sport must also meet challenges that arise within its space such as drugs in sport, corruption and fraud, all of which have been exposed within recent times.

Participation in sport is not always subject to natural increases. Recent surveys in the United Kingdom have shown that the rate of participation is sport is currently falling; and that despite robust projections neither the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games nor the London Olympics have led to a sustained legacy in the form of increased sports participation.

Participation in sport in Australia

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has conducted regular surveys of participation in physical activity and recreation in Australia, the most recent in 2013-14.

While 60% of Australians aged >15 years reported some participation in physical activity during 2013-14, this was down from 65% in 2011-12. Participation generally decreases with age, with those aged 15-17 years having the highest level of participation (74%) and those aged 65 and over the lowest (47%). Participation levels for males and females were comparable.

Participation in organised physical activity, including sport, was much lower (28%). Participation in organised physical activity also decreased with age, with those aged 15-24 years having the highest level of participation (43%) and those aged 65 and over the lowest (17%).

Participation in Badminton in Australia

Badminton has a great deal to offer its participants. It is a fast, indoor, day/night, all weather, mixed gender, non-contact sport, which in the high performance spectrum requires exceptional specific physical and mental capacities.

In the most recentAustralian Bureau of Statistics survey of Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation in Australia, Badminton was declared to have approximately 100,000 participants nationwide. This placed badminton as 31st within the top 55 ranked sports by participant numbers.

Given the popularity of Badminton as a recreational and competitive sport in the broad Asian/Indian subcontinent regions, it is not surprising that a high number of the participants in Badminton in Australia are from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Badminton does not have a strong profile in the sporting culture of Australia, at least not sufficient to draw new participants to the sport in large numbers. Badminton is not a focus sport, with podium potential, in the ASC’s “Winning Edge” high performance funding program.

The relatively high number of participants in Badminton is contrasted with a relatively low total number of active members of State/Territory Member Associations, as at September 2015, of 11,652- a ratio of member to participant of approximately 1 to 9.

The number of active members registered with a National Sporting Organisation (NSO) is critical to funding allocated from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) for participation programs.

The ASC operates on a 7 level funding model for participation grants to NSOs, prioritising investment to those most capable of leading participation growth. In 2015-16, Badminton was a Category D sport, with 100,000 participants and >10,000 active members, for which it received a fixed funding allocation of $200,000. If Badminton had 100,000 participants and >15,000 active members, it would have been a Category C sport, for which the fixed funding allocation in 2015-16 was $450,000.This funding model provides a powerful incentive for Badminton to focus on strategies to increase the number of active members in its State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations and Clubs.

This Strategic Plan addresses the issue of membership growth across the sport of Badminton.

Participation Strategic Plan workshop

Funding to badminton from the ASC for Participation programs in 2015-2016 came with an obligation to develop further Badminton Australia’s strategic planning in this area.

Why was that so? Participation is one of the six Key Result Areas in the Badminton Australia 2015-2018 Strategic Plan, with the overall Objective to “Grow participation”. However, reference to the partnership with the ASC in the area of Participation is limited to a single line and only eight words – to “Promote school based programs linked to ASC initiatives”. It is this area that the ASC asked to be expanded into a more detailed set of strategies.

A workshop was held in Melbourne on 31 July/1 August 2015, with representatives from Badminton Australia, all State/Territory Member Associations and the ASC.

Workshop participants

This Participation Strategic Plan is the outcome from that workshop.

Objective

The overall objective of the Participation Strategic Plan is to achieve year on year membership growth.

Strategies and initiatives

The Participation Strategic Plan will be delivered through 11 strategic initiatives identified at the Strategic Planning workshop. This Plan identifies Strategies available to Badminton Australia to increase national membership numbers, the Responsibility for implementing them, and the Timeline for their effective implementation.

Priority programs

The 3 top priority program areasidentified by participants at the Strategic Planning workshop to achieve the objective of increased membership were:

1. Convertingsocial players to Club/Association members
2. Sporting Schools
3. Shuttle time

These and other program areas with the potential to increase membership will be further expanded on in this document

Membership target

16,000 members by 2018*

Membership increase from 2015 to 2018 to achieve this target requires a 10% year on year growth. (2018 is the extent of the current Badminton Australia Strategic Plan 2015-2018).

*Subject to approval by Badminton Australia Board

Converting social players to Club/Association members

OPPORTUNITY:Demonstrate benefits of membership to grow existing clubs

S*:Focus on participants who are not current members, or recently lapsed members

S:Articulate benefits – fast, indoor, day/night, all weather, mixed gender, non-contact sport

SOffer incentives to clubs/associations based on membership size and growth

SOffer benefits driven memberships (membership fee reductions, awards/rewards etc)

R*:Badminton Australia, State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated clubs

T*:Intensive effort 2016 and ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Start new clubs/playing groups in areas not currently covered

S:Source appropriate (multi-sport) facilities, provide equipment, coaching etc

S:Promote best practice in setting up clubs (information packs, seminars, mentoring etc)

R:State/Territory member Associations and their affiliated clubs

T:Intensive effort 2016, and ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Convert participants to engaged registered members

S:Encourage social benefits of membership, friendship, networking etc

S: Encourage existing members to new/established Badminton oriented Facebook pages

S:Encourage inter club social/competitive events, based on club pride

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs and members

T:Intensive effort 2016 and on going

OPPORTUNITY:Sponsor school/community based competitions

S:Develop interest in participation leading to membership

S:Offer incentives to capture motivated participants, school teachers etc

S:Link to Sporting Schools, Shuttle Time

R:State/Territory Member associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs

T:Intensive effort 2016 and ongoing

*S = Strategy R = Responsibility T = Timeline

SPORTING SCHOOLS

As the imperative for the Strategic Planning Workshop came from a requirement to expand on the links between Badminton Australia and the ASC in the area of school based programs, a more complete Situational Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) was completed on this program area.

Sporting Schools is a national program initiative of the ASC on behalf of the Australian Government, which aims to see a higher level of sports participation in schools (particularly primary schools), with the target of engaging 850,000 children in sporting activities before, during or after school, over the period 2015-17. Students can receive typically between 4 and 7 introductory sessions to a sport, often using a modified version of the complete game.

One of the aims of Sporting Schools is to link schools with local club-based sport.

STRENGTH:Funding available to schools through grants from ASC

S:Advise participating and targeted schools of timeline for funding for programs in Terms 1-4 2016 – (waiting on advice from the ASC concerning this closing date).

R: National Participation Manager, State/Territory Member Associations

T: Urgent

STRENGTH:Ready-made delivery program – Shuttle Time

S:Provide training for teachers and other providers using free on-line resources

R:National Participation Manager, State/Territory Associations, Coaching Co-ordinators

T:Urgent through 2015, ongoing through 2016-17.

STRENGTH:Flexible delivery program – before, during and after school

S:Develop a workforce of qualified and endorsed teachers and other program providers able to deliver programs across the availability times requested by schools

S:Develop strategic partnerships with Clubs and selected commercial facilities to enhance follow up for Sporting Schools participants after their initial program

R:National Participation Manager, State/Territory Member Associations, Regional Associations, Clubs, selected commercial venues.

T: Urgent 2015, ongoing 2016-17.

STRENGTH:Entry to Club pathways

S:Make proactive approaches to schools within a reasonable distance from Club locations

R:State/Territory Member Associations, Regional Associations, Clubs

T:Urgent through 2015, ongoing through 2016-7

WEAKNESS:Unable to match a qualified and endorsed program provider with a school that has requested a badminton program

S:Upskill teachers who can deliver Sporting Schools programs

S: Identify new demographic of coaches who can deliver around Sporting Schools program times, iebefore, during (especially) and after school.

S:Target and develop relationships with schools in Club/Association catchment areas

S:State/Territory Member Associations to be decision maker as to what can be offered, but remaining flexible to achieve maximum program implementation.

R: Badminton Australia to monitor process for endorsing program providers, remaining flexible within quality assurance principles. State/Territory Member Associations to prioritise delivery options.

T:Ongoing

WEAKNESS:Lack of consistency in program delivery

S:Ensure maximum availability of Shuttle Time resources to participating schools and program providers, including on-line resources (lesson plans, videos etc) and equipment packs.

R:National Participation Manager, State/Territory Member Associations

T:Ongoing

WEAKNESS:Lack of established pricing models/invoicing processes for program delivery

S:Research comparable market prices (eg with other NSOs)

S:Develop a consistent invoicing procedure

R:National Participation Manager

T:Urgent

WEAKNESS:Sporting Schools web site functionality

S:Continue to provide feedback to ASC on issues arising around system information and access.

R: National Participation Manager

T:Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Encourage Sporting Schools participants to extend their experience to parents, other family members etc, who may become Club/Association members

S:Maximise delivery of programs within easy access of a Club/Association facility

S:Use flyer/voucher system for further court hire/coaching for participant/family members

R:State/Territory Member Associations with Regional Associations/Clubs

T:Ongoing, during and after each school based program

OPPORTUNITY:Flexibility in program timing (before, during and after school)

S:Recruit potential providers who are available across these time frames (eg university students, stay at home parents, work from home professionals, part time employed, retirees)

S:Engage with Universities/TAFEs (physical education teacher education students, sports studies internships etc)

R:State/Territory Member Associations

T:Urgent 2015, ongoing 2016-17

OPPORTUNITY:To increase exposure of Badminton within the community

S:Local advertising, media exposure, come ‘n try sessions for parents of school participants

S:Seek Council grants for facility hire, equipment purchase etc

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their Regional Association/Club affiliates

T:Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Identify people with potential for other forms of participation in Badminton eg volunteers, club officials, coaches/technical officials

S:Contact Local Council volunteering agency

S:Offer free training opportunities for volunteers, assist with set up costs for new clubs

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their Regional Association/Club affiliates, in conjunction with Local Councils

T:Ongoing

THREAT:Competition from the other 31 NSOs running Sporting Schools programs, some with commercially sponsored programs eg ANZ Tennis Hotshots

S:Be active, identify and contact schools where programs can be most easily conducted

S:State/Territory Member Associations/Regional Associations/Clubs become registered providers to increase quality program delivery opportunities

S:State/Territory Member Associations encourage qualified and quality coaches and private commercial providers to register for endorsement as program providers

R:State/Territory Member Associations

T:Urgent 2015, ongoing 2016-17

THREAT:Bigger sports have more infrastructure/money/resources

S:Set targets for membership drives for each State/Territory Member Association, with the goal to achieve Category C funding level in ASC’s Participation Investment framework

R:Entire Badminton community

T:Ongoing

THREAT:Low profile of Badminton compared to other sports

S:Create “heroes” who can be promoted through the media

S:Use major events to increase domestic profile of the sport

S”Maximise use of social media – Facebook, Twitter, blogs etc

R:Badminton Australia, supported by State/Territory Member Associations

T:Ongoing (linked to forthcoming Digital Media Strategy)

THREAT:Wide choice of sports available

S: Promote benefits of Badminton as a fast, indoor, all weather, day/night, mixed gender, non-contact participation sport for fitness

R:Badminton Australia, supported by State/Territory Member Associations

T:Ongoing

THREAT:Commercial/private organisation providers have no incentive to engage in process of membership growth for Badminton Australia.

S:Establish strategic partnerships with these organisations to encourage (mandate?) affiliation with State/Territory Member Associations, Regional Associations, Clubs, before they can be endorsed as providers for Sporting Schools

R:National Participation Manager

T:Establish selected partnerships now, then ongoing

SHUTTLE TIME

OPPORTUNITY:Primary delivery program for Sporting Schools

S:Ensure potential Sporting Schools program delivery workforce is adequately trained through completion of Shuttle Time Presenters courses

R:National Participation Manager, State/Territory Member Associations

T:Urgent 2015, then ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Resources already developed and available

S:Enhance availability eg through transfer to USB flash drives

R:National Participation Manager

T:2015

OPPORTUNITY:Provides fun activities incorporating basic skills

S:Increase exposure through Sporting Schools, holiday programs, come ’n try events etc

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs

T:Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Engages a wide range of potential participants

S:Expand offerings to a variety of audiences eg Para Badminton, Special Olympics

S:Promote through public displays, shopping centres etc

S:Promote through traditional and social media

R:National Participation Manager, State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs

T:Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Incorporate Shuttle Time Presenters course as an entry point to Coach Education pathway

S:Amend Coach Education pathway

R:Recommended to Badminton Australia Board as part of the concurrent review of the Coach Education program

T:Complete

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OPPORTUNITY:Identify regional locations where appropriate facilities exist or can be adapted

S:Identify potential locations through Local Councils, information from members/participants living in regional areas

S:Liaise with known or discovered groups already existing in regional areas to support/expand development of local programs

S:Set realistic goals for expansion

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs

T:Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Take tournaments to country areas

S:Plan ahead with Local Council events calendar

S:Take high level national players to these regional events

S:Promote through traditional regional media, schools, and social media

R:State/Territory Member Associations and their affiliated Regional Associations/Clubs

T: Ongoing

OPPORTUNITY:Engage with local school teachers/volunteers

S:Run Sports Tours in regional areas (already operating in Queensland)

S:Partner with other sports for maximum impactand cost efficiency