Fit for Purpose?: Skills for Life in Sport, Leisure and Hospitality

Funded by SEEDA

22nd November 2006, Stanhill Court Hotel, Charlwood, Horley

The Network hosted this SEEDA funded seminar on Language, Literacy and Numeracy in the sport, leisure and hospitality sector. The day was well attended by providers, employers and other stakeholders and the feedback showed that everyone felt it was a productive and positive day.

The day was introduced by James Emmett and Bansari Somani of Skills Active the relevant Sector Skills Council who gave the delegates a picture of the national and regional skills needs across the sector and their plans to work with employers and other stakeholders to meet these challenges.

Dr Alan Sanders of Brighton and Hove Football Club gave attendees an inspirational view of the Whole Organisation Approach taken by the club as part of its community work in its local area.

The closing keynote speaker in the afternoon was Mark Thirkell of SEEDA who is the regional lead on the Olympics for the RDA. Mark brought everyone up to date with the skills needs that had been identified around the 2012 Games and the strategy in place to ensure a successful legacy for the region.

Between the informative keynote speakers, attendees had the opportunity to break out into workshops to discuss key themes in a less formal and more ‘hands on’ way.

Kim Hailstone of the Network updated delegates on the collaboration between Skills Active and The Network on the L Units, an exciting portfolio based approach to Professional Development for in house vocational trainers.

Jane Stringer of Thames Valley University presented the case study of Renaissance Reading Hotel and Sarah Brooker of Brighton and Hove FC facilitated a very interactive workshop on helping learners with their career pathway.

Overall the day was positive and highly productive. Several employers have now taken up the challenge of addressing the Skills for Life need in their workforce and the providers present felt that they felt better equipped to work in this diverse, challenging and fast moving sector.