In just three weeks time, Women in Sport are taking their insight to Manchester, for the first time in partnership with GreaterSport, on Tuesday 2nd February and returning for a second year running to London with LondonSport on Friday 4th February.
The Insight Series interactive conferences will focus on putting insight into action to get more women and girls playing sport at every level.
Women in Sport’s newest Partnerships Manager, Heather Smith, tells us more about her experience as a delegate in 2015 and what you can expect from the Women in Sport Insight Series 2016:
“I have been working for Women in Sport since the summer of 2015. In my previous role I was the lead for the organisation on female participation, and was lucky enough to attend two of the previous insight series events in 2015. This year I will be on the other side of the table, as I will be hosting the event in Manchester.
“I attended a coaching workshop in Sheffield and the Insight event in London and for me the best bit about both of them was hearing the latest Women in Sport insight first-hand. The way the content was delivered really challenged those in the room to think about what the insight was saying and how we could use that back at our own organisations and in our own roles.
“I also attended a Women in Sport event back in 2012 and loved the sense of community that just being in the room gave all the delegates. There was something refreshing about the sense of camaraderie and a feeling of support and collaboration from all the delegates. I think that was the first conference where I made genuine connections that led to working together later on. So I was a big advocate of Women in Sport’s events even before I started working for them!
“So what can you expect from this year’s events? Well the theme is Insight into Action which means we will hear case studies and discussion around how research can underpin delivery. I am also really excited about the latest Women in Sport research into seasonal drop-off, which is so topical at the moment with New Year’s resolutions in full swing. This is quite a new area of research for the sector and the insight really gets under the skin of the nature and size of this problem and other seasonal barriers.
“The panel discussions are always really engaging, and this year we will be asking our panellists about Insight and how it’s changing the way we engage more women and girls in sport. The panels are made up of industry professionals, academics and athletes. There is a real mix of individuals on the panels from elite athletes to senior leaders with a couple of academics thrown in for good measure!
“Of course the local case studies are always really popular and quite often the most relatable, I still roll out one of the case studies from the 2012 event I mentioned earlier in my work today (Hackney Laces for reference – they are great for thinking a bit differently and letting the girls design the activity). For the 2016 event there will be presentations from I Will if You Will Bury Project at the Manchester event and the Clubworks team will be in London.
“Jo Upton and Hannah Beech from 2CV research agency will also be there to present and discuss the future of insight-led sport from a research perspective. Having done extensive work with NGBs and other national sports organisations (including our own Understanding Women’s Lives research) 2CV have a wide and deep knowledge of the sport sector and its current and future customers.
“Each conference starts at 9.30 and finishes at 16.00 with plenty of time for networking and getting involved in the ongoing discussion of how to engage more women and girls to play sport at every level.”
Heather Smith, Sport Partnerships Manager Women in Sport
For more information https://www.womeninsport.org/news/insight-series-2016/
To purchase tickets http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/women-in-sport-8533327063
