George Halkias’ Post

Video is a great medium for charities wishing to highlight their impact, and this is a great example! I was sent this by Kieran Connolly and wanted to share it to show what can be achieved with visual storytelling using video. A glossy report full of professionally captured images, a well developed written narrative, case studies, and testimonials would do a fantastic job of showcasing the work and successes of Sports Fun 4 All (and I'd recommend investing in that, if it's not already being done) but seeing and hearing it in video form like this makes for a more emotional and human connection. Not only that, research and anecdotal evidence suggests that people increasingly prefer to consume content in the form of video. Anyway, here it is, take a look and see for yourselves https://lnkd.in/e-FJpqtb And well done to Keiran and team, this kind of community sports initiative is really important - I know from a previous connection to AFC Fylde Foundation in Lancashire that it's not just about getting young people into physical activity and allowing them to develop sporting skills, it helps in all sorts of other ways too, from fostering a sense of community, teaching social skills, healthy eating, and keeping them out of trouble, to giving parents and carers some respite and enabling young people to acquire skills and behaviours that will boost employability in later life.

MUST READ: Play Our Way grant available until end of April in 2024: Following the respective successes of both the CommBank Matilda’s performance and Australia’s hosting abilities of the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $200 million into the “Play Our Way” Grant Program. As the current biggest investment into Women’s sport across the nation, applications for the grant still remain open with the closing date on April 29, 2024. Working in conjunction with non-for-profit businesses, local government officials, and sport organizations nationwide, the overall aspiration of the program is to make sport for woman and girls 'more welcoming and equitable.'  The $200 million grant is available in funding over a three year period in which will be split into two streams: Participation and equipment: Funding will be placed into programs that inspire females of all ages to become involved within sporting and physical activity obligations. The employment of recruitment and commitment officers, coaches, officials and volunteers is crucial for the growth and sustainability of women’s sport. Further funding will be implemented into equipment to assist with the encouragement of women’s participation. There is nothing more off putting than using out dated, uninspired equipment hence the importance in which surrounds its necessary upgrade. Facilities: Much in the same vein as the previous entry, the establishment and improvement of facilities is another primary focus of the program. To encourage and inspire woman to be involved within sport, it is crucial that they are recipients of facilities in that are of a high-standard. The lack of adequacy within facilities can be a deterrent across all sporting codes for all of its participants, regardless of age, ability or gender. Clubs with all the relevant information are urged to apply for the grant in which can be completed upon the Football Australia website, as well as each state football website. The grant is assessed and determined by the Department of Health and Aged Care, in whom are transparent and impartial. Guidelines within the application process showcased a clubs eligibility, grant amount and time period, application process, and what the grant can be used upon. The game within Australia is on a trajectory, especially within the women’s cohort. The government backed program presents a monumental opportunity for current and emerging women’s football contingents across the state. The post Play Our Way grant available until end of April in 2024 appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

🏉 Research into rugby union’s social value has revealed an incredible £2.03 billion contribution during the 2023/24 season. Commissioned by England Rugby and conducted by Think Beyond and Substance, the report was designed to measure rugby union’s holistic impact on society—and it shows profound social, economic and health benefits across the country: Key Findings: 🔹 £707M in improved physical and mental health. 🔹 £823.5M in social and community value. 🔹 £502M in economic growth through jobs, infrastructure investment, and more. The study also highlights rugby’s high social value in some of the country's least affluent areas, positively impacting communities and lives across England. It’s been great collaborating with Tim Crabbe, Gavin Mellor and Luke Bullock from Substance, along with Tom Pennington and the rest of the RFU team. Huge thanks to our project team Ed Hubbard, Lois Peake and Thomas Wells for developing this first-of-its-kind report. To learn more about developing a social value report, reach out to our Senior Director, Strategy and Impact, Ed Hubbard at Ed.Hubbard@thinkbeyond.consulting.

At the Heart of Our Mission—5 Key Insights on Community and Grassroots Sports At Affleck & Co, we believe that community and grassroots sports are more than just recreational activities—they’re catalysts for social change, inclusion, and sustainability. Our work focuses on empowering communities through place-based strategies that reflect their unique history, qualities, and goals. With that in mind, here are 5 key insights you need to know about community and grassroots sport: 📊 The annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2bn. 💡 Sport participation prevents serious physical and mental health conditions, valued at approximately £9.5bn. 💷 For every £1 invested in sport for development, £6 is returned in social value—compared to £4 for traditional sports sponsorship. ⚽ Grassroots football contributes £10.769bn to the UK economy, saving the NHS over £43m annually through reduced GP visits. 📈 Grassroots football clubs have reported a 69% increase in participation levels. These figures demonstrate the transformative power of grassroots sport, which is at the heart of what we do. Whether it’s creating inclusive opportunities or cross-sectors collaborations, especially between brands and communities, we are committed to using sport as a force for good. We believe the key to lasting change lies in connection—bringing together diverse voices, perspectives, and resources to amplify impact🤝 #GrassrootsSports #SocialImpact #PurposeDriven #CommunityDevelopment #WomenInSport #Sport #Strategy

It’s been an interesting year with the development of AI influencing so many of our choices and yet still remaining something the vast majority of us (including me) know not a lot about… However, to embrace the spirit of it, I used Coauthor to analyse my LinkedIn year and generate my post below. It has some inaccuracies… but a step in a positive direction for sure. (In terms of the analytics my reach is awful but something to work on I suppose!) Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio: 2024 showed what happens when communities fight for their sporting facilities. When Perth's curling future was threatened, the local community mobilized, spoke up, and secured ice sport in the PH2o development. That's what protecting sport's foundations looks like. A year of building while preserving what matters: • Successful ongoing campaign to keep curling in its spiritual home in Perth • Double gold for Team GB at the Youth Olympics in Korea • World Championships secured for North Ayrshire in 2025 • New partnerships including Hendricks Gin Scottish Championships • Advanced our data-driven approach to prove sport's community value Three posts that captured key moments: "It was a long but productive session at Perth & Kinross Council... We have a pathway to retaining curling in its spiritual home." On the critical Council vote for Perth facilities https://lnkd.in/e4FMHaBr "Magnificent from Callie and Ethan! Taking home the Gold at the Youth Olympics... However, all 6 of these Olympians started somewhere, at a local rink or club." Why protecting local facilities matters https://lnkd.in/e4FMHaBr "Don't let pivotal sporting events get in the way of good humour" Building relationships through sport, even in competition https://lnkd.in/edz4Rn5a Found time for community work beyond curling too - proud to support Glasgow Saints FC's 24-hour football fundraiser with my son. Sport's impact happens at every level. Looking to 2025: We'll keep using data to prove sport's value while ensuring both elite pathways and community access thrive. Facilities remain the foundation - we'll keep working to protect them. Big thanks to the Scottish Curling team - Eilidh McCall-Lawrie, Fiona Harfield Charlene Graham Scott Andrews OLY Peter Joyce Suzy Wakefield Catriona Morton Faye McInnes Rhiannon Butterfield Liam Duncan & David Cameron. Your commitment makes the difference. The science is clear: sport changes lives. Let's keep proving it.

Canadian Paralympians face significant financial challenges despite receiving some funding. The fear that sports-related income might jeopardize crucial social support adds to their stress. Athletes hope for clear guidelines to protect their benefits. The financial strain, particularly for those with high support needs, forces many to rely on family support or make difficult choices between their athletic dreams and basic needs. Click to know more - https://lnkd.in/dbqErTX8 #UrbanaNews #Canada #Paralympics #AthleteSupport #DisabilitySports #FinancialChallenges #SocialSupport #ParalympicAthletes #FundingIssues #SportsAndSociety

⚽ Soccer: A Game with the Power to Transform Nations Soccer is more than just a sport; it’s a universal language that unites people across borders, cultures, and communities. In countries around the world, soccer has proven to be a catalyst for social and economic change, and its potential to drive positive impact in your country is immense. Here’s how soccer can help transform our country: 🔵 Youth Empowerment: Soccer provides young people with discipline, teamwork, and leadership skills that go far beyond the pitch. It offers a positive outlet for energy and creativity while keeping them away from negative influences. 🔵 Community Building: Local clubs and matches bring people together, fostering unity and reducing social divides. In a world where communities are growing apart, soccer has the power to create a shared sense of purpose and belonging. 🔵 Economic Growth: Investing in soccer infrastructure, tournaments, and training academies can create jobs and boost tourism. Successful teams also enhance national pride and global recognition. 🔵 Health and Wellness: Encouraging soccer as a community sport promotes fitness, well-being, and a healthier society. Let’s use the spirit of soccer to inspire change, nurture future talent, and make our nation stronger together. How do you think soccer can make a difference in your country? #SoccerForChange #UnityThroughSports #YouthEmpowerment #CommunityBuilding #EconomicGrowth #Soccer #Football #Sportswear #Activewear #FIFA2025 #FIFA #Athleticwear

On United Nations' International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Access Sport highlight five ways to improve disabled and disadvantaged young people’s lives through sport: 1. Disabled and disadvantaged children have the right to 60 minutes of physical activity, just like every other child. 2. Inclusive community sport and school sport need equal priority and funding. 3. Investing in club leaders, coaches and volunteers, of today and tomorrow, is critical if we want to make community sport truly inclusive. 4. Sense of belonging and community underpin the wider transformational benefits of sport and need to be prioritised in the way we support and fund the sector. 5. Community sport is complex but this is a strength not a weakness. It's time to embrace and empower the whole sector. #communitysport #disabilitysport #inclusivesport

The towns of Renwick and Martinborough have a couple of things in common: obviously delicious wine and, not so obvious, their population sizes are roughly the equivalent of the number of volunteers that made Love Tennis 2024 a huge success. A Grand Slam of volunteerism, over 2,000 passionate volunteer heroes! We run amazing sports events in Aotearoa, many of them volunteer reliant, so I got to thinking how our ‘town’ of volunteers compared to some of these fabulous events. This wonderful team of 2,000+ volunteers was: ⭐ 3 x bigger than the volunteer team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2024 (~ 800) ⭐ 3 x bigger than the volunteer team at the Womens’ Cricket World Cup 2022 (~750) ⭐ 5 x bigger than the volunteer team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021/22 (~400) We love this data, but what we love more is the passion this team of 2,000+ share with their local communities, inspiring every ability and demographic to join in and have fun. Volunteers find it motivating to be part of the Love Tennis culture; a great big team, sharing a variety of skill sets to make the dream work. The ripple effect from this team culture is exciting.    “Many hands made light work as far as our volunteer team went”   “Planning on who would do what and the general buzz that created”   “Big buy-in from members, this spread the volunteer workload”   “Seeing our juniors give up their time to help out” It’s not easy inspiring volunteers and even harder enabling volunteer succession but celebrating the people that make activity happen is essential. He aha te mea nui o te ao. He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. PS: if you want to learn more about the impact of Love Tennis I’ll pop a link in the comments. #clubculture #activecommunites #tennisnz

I'm pleased to announce that I've written a book that I hope at least some of you might be interested in. It's not a business book (I'm saving my semi-autobiographical 'How to Manage your Way to the Middle' for release some time in the future), it's a book about a particular passion of mine, the summer Olympics. 'The Best and Worst of the Olympics' contains 50 fascinating stories about the greatest sporting show on earth. Half of the stories showcase everything that is great about the Games, the others cover events or occurrences that are not so great. There are tales of outstanding individual and team performances, of epic sporting duels, of winning against the odds, of innovators who transformed their events and of those who stood up for what they believed in despite great personal risk and cost. And there are tales of sporting mishaps, of skullduggery and cheating, of refereeing injustices, of bad judgement and incompetence and much much more. Some of the tales and athletes will be familiar to you, whereas others will be new. Either way you should discover new personal, historical or socio-political details that you were unaware of and will help you to look at the stories in a different way. I've tried to cover as many different Olympiads and events as possible and, while there is inevitably something of a GB bias, many other countries are represented in the stories. I'm not claiming it to be a work of any great significance or a literary masterpiece but I think it's a fun book to dip into, particularly as Paris 2024 approaches. It's available on Amazon as an eBook or paperback. https://lnkd.in/eUwYC_xu All of my earnings on the book will be donated to charity. Anything you can do to support this - eg. reposting to your network - will be massively appreciated. Thanks. David