AusLeisure

The Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA) has launched a ‘Young Professionals In Lockdown’ networking group, to help give young industry professionals a sense of community and an opportunity for professional growth during this highly uncertain time.

Understanding the toll that months of lockdown can take on the mental health of young sports professionals, ASPA appreciates that additional support is needed for those just starting out in their career in sport.

ASPA General Manager of Membership and Engagement, Ryan Agar explained “ordinarily, this time of year would be filled with awards nights, industry networking events and 'end of season' dinners. “With everything being digital, or cancelled for another year, we are seeing a growing need to offer support to those young professionals in the sporting industry who need encouragement and reinforcement that things will get better, and that prospects will recover.”

“Given the current state of things, these individuals have been largely unable to take part in face-to-face networking and community-building opportunities, which are crucial for establishing themselves professionally within the industry.”

To combat this, ASPA has launched a regular forum that brings together young sporting professionals under 40 across Australia. The first round of events were a standout success around the country, and further events are planned for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

The next session is being held at the end of October, and focuses on career development and the idea of joining a board.

Titled ‘Joining your first board: tips & tricks to kickstart future board positions’, the event will feature two guest speakers with extensive experience in both reporting to and sitting on boards across various industry bodies within sport.

Agar advised “this is just the start of what we will be doing as we move into 2022.

“As of this month, we have jumped to over 1,000 members now, and we anticipate an even bigger flurry of activity as more people learn about the benefits of the programs and resources we offer for people working in sport. We understand the importance of continuing to grow and reinvent ourselves as an organisation, as we continue to respond to an ever-changing industry."

ASPA is an industry association for individuals who work, volunteer or study in sport in Australia - all the way from club volunteers and paid administrators of small state/territory sports to chief executives and Board members of large national sports.

Set up by the industry, for the industry and already with over 1,000 members, ASPA is in the perfect position to help support those working in sport.

Click here to visit the ASPA website for more information.

Related Articles

14th October 2021 - Victorian Government helps sports clubs recover from theft and natural disaster

13th October 2021 - Victorian Government supporting women leaders to excel on Sporting Boards

12th October 2021 - National Sports Convention to spotlight transformational potential of community sport and leisure facilities

8th October 2021 - revolutioniseSPORT launches visual newsletter builder for community sporting organisations

8th October 2021 - Australian Institute of Sport leads major project examining concussion

7th October 2021 - Queensland Academy of Sport to double funding for swimming

5th October 2021 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame announces 2022 Scholarship and Mentoring Program

27th September 2021 - revolutioniseSPORT releases new features to manage sporting officials’ courses and accreditations

21st September 2021 - ASF report says community sports clubs facing uncertain future and financial strife

20th September 2021 - Australian Sports Commission looks to recruit new Chief Executive

14th September 2021 - National Sports Convention transitions to online event

13th September 2021 - Technology in sport changes the game

9th September 2021 - Victorian Government to establish new sports innovation centre

9th September 2021 - revolutioniseSPORT develops features to manage courses and accreditations for sporting officials

8th September 2021 - Sports Environment Alliance and YMCA Victoria announce new partnership project

7th September 2021 - Sports clubs to benefit from $1.9 million upgrade to St Lukes Oval in Concord

6th September 2021 - Australian Sports Professionals Association launches 2021 National Sports Census

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.