The heart and soul of a community often lie in the venues where people gather. Through our work on the Sunshine Coast Community Venues Audit Report, we uncovered invaluable insights that will shape the future of community venues in the region. Our sporting clubs have unique potential as community venues. What’s the path forward to activate sporting clubs as community venues?

Succession planning, an important aspect of long-term stability, has proven challenging for several local organisations within your LGA. Key hindrances span from members' uncertainties about leadership responsibilities to the perception that current leaders are unparalleled, compounded by the knowledge void created upon their departure. Moreover, stringent regulatory demands often divert attention from crucial long-term goals. However, by integrating succession measures into routine strategic discussions, championing the transfer of knowledge through mentorship programs and understanding succession as an ongoing commitment, we can ensure fluid leadership transitions and fortify our local organisations' futures. Let's collaborate to build a resilient LGA community together.

In an age dominated by digital marketing, Councils nationwide might question the significance of traditional signage. At CPR Group, we emphasise that while digital outreach is transformative, the essence of on-ground signage for community spaces remains pivotal. Effective signage serves as the forefront of a community’s identity, leaving lasting first impressions, reinforcing brand values, and notifying locals of seasonal events or offers. To truly capture your community's heart, the synergy of stellar design, clarity, and timely updates is paramount.  A harmonious blend of appealing aesthetics and clear messaging can substantially bolster appeal and trust within the community.

Across Australia, community organisations are dealing with the dwindling number of volunteers. The reasons? Societal changes, shifting interests and evolving commitments. The challenge is universal, yet the solutions may lie in innovative thinking and adaptive strategies. As CPR Group, with over 26 years of deep-rooted experience in supporting Australian organisations, we urge you to recognise the seismic shifts in the volunteering arena. The age-old strategies might no longer yield the anticipated fruits. As such, it's time to reimagine volunteer management, transitioning from traditional ways and addressing the modern volunteer's needs and aspirations.

By engaging a strategic planning expert, your organisation can reap benefits such as an unbiased perspective, expertise in facilitating complex planning processes and effective time management. CPR Group helps keep the planning process focused, prevents it from getting lost in day-to-day operations and contributes to crafting an engaging an effective strategic plan. For your organisation, this approach can save you precious volunteer hours and ensure a long-term vision is clearly defined. Reach out to CPR Group to learn more about how an external facilitator can transform your strategic planning process.

For over 25 years, CPR Group has been a steadfast supporter of Australian clubs, organisations and Councils. We possess a deep understanding of the diverse perspectives involved in ensuring the successful operation of sports clubs and community organisations. Throughout this year, CPR Group has taken a proactive approach by hosting a series of free webinars, aimed at equipping these groups with effective strategies to overcome their most pressing challenges. So far this year, we have conducted highly successful webinars, covering topics such as Asset Management, Planning for Success, Succession Planning, and AGM and Constitution Support. The positive feedback received from all attendees has been inspiring.

Within every organisation, the ultimate aim is to cultivate a team of happy and engaged volunteers who selflessly dedicate their time and expertise to support the community. Yet, what precisely characterises a fulfilled volunteer? How can we establish an environment that nurtures joy and fulfilment among our volunteers? This article embarks on a journey to unravel these questions, offering valuable insights into volunteer management specifically tailored for Australian volunteers engaged in sports clubs and community organisations.

Effective functioning of any organisation, such as a sporting club, charity or community group, hinges on the presence of good governance. It encompasses transparency, accountability, and the adoption of sound policies that yield benefits for all stakeholders. Recognising the importance of this topic, CPR Group conducted a poll to discern the most crucial elements of good governance, as perceived by our clients. The obtained results offer valuable insights, shedding light on the fundamental pillars of successful governance. In this article, we analyse the poll findings and explore the significance of each identified aspect.

Having a clear mission and vision is imperative for success in any organisation, be it a business, non-profit, or even a personal endeavour. These carefully crafted statements not only establish the purpose and direction of your efforts, but also act as a powerful driving force that inspires and unifies all stakeholders towards a shared objective. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of mission and vision statements, discovering how they can shape and propel you towards unparalleled success.

As grassroots club volunteers, you might have come across numerous templates for club strategic plans online, many of which lack that personal touch and excitement. Let’s explore why strategic planning can be difficult for clubs, while also highlighting how the process can be enjoyable and engaging.

As a volunteer for a sports club or community organisation in Australia, you play a crucial role in the success of your group. You invest your time, effort and skills to help your community thrive. However, being a volunteer can also be challenging, especially if you're new to the role. That's where a board induction training session can make all the difference.

Clubs and community organisations are responsible for managing costly infrastructure and facilities. With Councils all over the country imposing stricter regulations, it's becoming increasingly important for these organisations to properly maintain and manage their assets.

Marketing in clubs and not-for-profits usually isn’t at the forefront of volunteers' minds, mostly because they’re focussing on other important things. Marketing can be the solution to many of the issues that volunteers face within their organisation. These issues can include recruiting new members, gaining new members, finding sponsorship deals, and the list goes on. This marketing series dives into the details of how you can turn your club around and make your life as a volunteer a bit easier by finding a marketing strategy that works for you. 

Everyone who plays a role in the not-for-profit sector, whether as a volunteer, administrator, Council officer or peak body rep, needs to understand that 'not-for-profit' is very different from ‘no-profit'. This article provides a timely reminder about the true meaning of the term ‘non-profit’.

Shooting the messenger feels good, because it gives us a chance to vent when we receive bad news, even though we know it isn’t helpful. But have you also noticed that people have a tendency to ignore advice from people they don’t like, even if the advice is sound? This article is a reminder about the need for club leaders to have great listening skills and to keep an open mind to all suggestions, regardless of where they come from.

Are there things you do in your club that haven’t changed in more than 10 years? In that time, how has the world around you changed? In this article, Michael Connelly explores how people’s natural fear of losing what they have can be holding clubs back from making sensible changes that can lead to better growth and prosperity.

Your constitution really is important. Not only does it cover vital things like your name, why you exist and how you need to hold meetings, it’s the document that keeps you incorporated! If it isn’t up to date, it can cause stress and sleepless nights leading up to events like your AGM. If you don’t feel comfortable trying to write your new constitution on your own, it’s a good idea to get professional help, to make sure you get it right. But how do you find the best professional to write your new constitution? Because it’s not something you do every day, this article provides the top 5 things to consider when looking for the best club constitution writer.

The most successful community groups, clubs and charity organisations know the value of engaging external professionals to deliver governance training for their committees and boards. They know that the investment of time and money they make will lead to more efficient operations, and therefore better community outcomes. So why do many smaller organisations still shy away from buying club governance training? In this article, we bust what we think are the 6 biggest myths that are standing in the way of volunteers investing in their own learning and growth.

Australian clubs, associations and organisations experience a wide array of risks throughout the year. These risks include everything from natural disasters through to losing volunteers. However, over the last few years we have seen a rise of another kind of risk that could result in committee members being liable if they turn a blind eye to the problem. Management committee and board members need to be aware of common mistakes, such as outdated constitutions, policies, or an expired strategic plan, and avoid them to protect their clubs, organisations and members as much as possible.