Sport England, UK Sport, sportscotland, Sport Wales and Sport NI join forces with a unified offer of governance support to the sport and physical activity sector
As part of continued governance support for the organisations in their countries, UK Sports Councils have come together to confirm the continuation of the Sports Governance Academy for a further 5-year term via a £1.8m of investment commencing December 2022.
The Sports Governance Academy is delivered by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, the international chartered governance body, and is a governance support hub for the sports and physical activity sector, helping everyone leading, working and volunteering in sport organisations to achieve their goals through establishing a framework for effective and fair decision-making. Embracing good governance is key to building a diverse and inclusive sector where those taking part do so in a safe and positive environment.
This renewed investment underlines the Sports Councils’ commitment to helping organisations become more transparent, diverse and inclusive, promoting high standards of accountability and integrity. Today’s announcement follows on from an award in December 2019 in which the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGIUKI) were commissioned to create and deliver the SGA for 3 years.
This next phase of the Sports Governance Academy will continue to deliver across its three core pillars of learning, knowledge and community. New elements will be added to develop these further including new courses, a re-designed website, more integrated professional development opportunities, a peer-to-peer mentoring scheme and a new modular approach towards gaining this valued governance qualification.
Networking events and regular forums will also allow those gaining their qualification with the Sports Governance Academy to connect as a community and support one another within the sector.
Antoinette McKeown, Chief Executive at Sport NI said:
“Strong governance is the foundation on which successful sports organisations are built, providing a culture of trust, leadership and integrity and helping to ensure a positive experience for participants at all levels. We are delighted to be involved in the Sports Governance Academy, an exciting and innovative collaboration to provide a comprehensive range of resources to the sports sector.
“At Sport NI we support organisations to fully understand the benefits of good governance and how this should be embedded within their sporting culture. The Sports Governance Academy is a welcome sign of further progress in developing a strong sporting culture across the sector and we encourage sports organisations in Northern Ireland to register and utilise the services available.”