Active-net

SportsNation attended the physical activity sector’s leading networking event, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary

March 2024 marked the 10th anniversary of Active-net. The event was set up to assist the formation (and strengthening) of partnerships and relationships, while offering insights into enhancing the consumer experience through quality speakers, registered CPD, debates, informal networking and curated meetings. This year’s edition, taking place on 27 and 28 March, was a great success, having sold out for the second year running at Eastwood Hall in Nottinghamshire. The theme for Active-net 2024 was aimed to address the challenges faced in recruiting and retaining quality team members and the data that sits behind these decisions and outcomes.

Skilled workforce

The opening keynote session featured Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive; Spencer Moore of CIMSPA and Jack Shakespeare of 4Global. The panel discussed the importance of recruiting and retaining great team members.

“It’s well documented that we have record numbers of people on NHS waiting lists and/or are signed off sick from work,” Edwards said. “As an industry we can help with this but one of the challenges in rolling out successful initiatives and pilot schemes such as Prehab4Cancer and MSK hubs is having enough appropriately qualified staff.

They highlighted how, despite all the government funding for training and apprenticeships, recruitment remains an issue for the sector. They questioned whether the sector was being best served by universities – which offer lots of sports science and equivalent degrees – when there are so few jobs available. The message was that a focus on other areas might better serve the industry – as the physical activity sector doesn’t even appear in any career maps or guidance. Other topics discussed included how a CIMSPAworkforce survey revealed that people value recognition over pay (though pay still ranked highly). This mirrors the industry’s view that it has a highly skilled workforce – but there need to be more opportunities to flourish.

Learning occasion

There were a number of parallel sessions, before delegates broke off to their one-to-one meetings (allowing operators to meet suppliers). One of the sessions, chaired by Active Insight’s Julie Allen, focused on the importance of data driven insights.

The panel offered delegates a few key points for using data efficiently and accurately in decision making: ● Ensure your data is accurate, reliable and up to date ● Include consumer insights about what people want, so that you can best understand trends and opportunities ● Avoid bias – do not only look at the data that you want to or that suits you.

The panel also highlighted that the current industry data around usage and trends shows that the sector is “heading in the right direction”.

“It is now about scale,” Huw Edwards said. “There is a richness of collaboration and innovation that supports how the sector is evolving.”

What is Active-net?

Active-net events were set up as a “buyer and supplier event” for the physical activity, health and fitness industries. Each year, they attract buyers and suppliers from all aspects of the industry to meet with one another and aid each other’s expansion and progression.

Thanks to the accompanying seminars and talks, Active-net events also allow delegates to keep up to date with the latest developments within the sector – as well as broaden and strengthen their professional network.

Since Active-net’s launch in 2014, more than 1,000 sector professionals have attended one of its Public, Private and Scottish sector events, while they have also facilitated a total of 6,200 face to face meetings.

The next Active-net event will be held at the Crieff Hydro in Scotland on 25 September 2024. That will then be followed by the Active-net Private Sector event on 27 January 2025, held at the Radisson Blu Stansted. The main Active-net event will then return to Nottingham’s Eastwood hall on 26 and 27 March 2025.

For more information (and to register) on future events, visit: [www.active-net.co or](http://www.active-net.co/) contact [davidmonkhouse@active-insight.org](mailto:davidmonkhouse@active-insight.org)