In collaboration with Gladstone Regional Council, CPR Group was engaged to prepare revised concept plans and develop a comprehensive business case to evaluate whole-of-life costs, risks, benefits and options of Harvey Road Sports and Events Precinct. The goal was to transform the venue into a leading stadium for national sports and events. Our commitment to stakeholder engagement, ensuring the precinct meets both day-to-day needs and large event requirements, has yielded positive feedback. Recognising the precinct's vital role in Gladstone, our approach prioritises the community's voice. Now, with a robust business case in place, Council aims to explore external funding opportunities, ensuring this project not only uplifts the precinct but also brings broader economic and social benefits to the region.

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.

MPIOs provide information about the rights, responsibilities and options available to an individual making a complaint. They are central to maintaining the integrity and values of sport. As advocates for safe clubs, MPIOs can also play a key role in fostering inclusive cultures in clubs, associations and sport more broadly. 

Starting way back in September 2021 and finishing September 2022, Michael and Steve Connelly hosted 11 masterclasses as part of Ipswich City Council’s Stronger Communities project. These masterclasses saw over 150 attendees come together, from more than 100 local community organisations, clubs and associations. These masterclasses were designed to cover the common pain points volunteers face, give them practical tools and provide the techniques to implement those tools within their organisations.

As we all know, a lot of meetings and events have been forced to go online, and Council’s Community and Lessee Forums have been no exception. CPR Group has facilitated both in-person and online forums, and we have found both have a unique set of benefits that is worth exploring.

Listen to the interview with the Wellers Hill Bowls Club president, Richard Tanner, as he discusses how they turned around the club to become a great community organisation.

Struggling to find volunteers? Are your current volunteers overworked? Are you in the Brisbane area and interested in joining the Brisbane Volunteer Leader Network? Meet up with like-minded people to help each other find strategies for recruiting and engaging their volunteers - sign up here.

We are excited to announce CPR Group's partnership with Football Queensland as the preferred provider of club governance support and training! The upcoming webinar series will be filled with great tips to help clubs of all sizes, by strengthening club structure, culture and operations.

A new State of Volunteering in Queensland Report has just been released. We’ve pulled together some of the interesting findings related to formal volunteering. And to help all of the volunteers out there, we are happy to provide a free volunteer management plan template.

As clubs are warming up for the 2021 winter sporting season, you can actively re-engage with your members after a disrupted 2020. Start with a clear strategy, and a shared vision for what your marketing needs to ACHIEVE, and then use stories to connect with the right people, using the right messages that speak to them, emotionally.

When thinking about the ‘value proposition’ of sports clubs, it’s critical to strike a balance between keeping sport accessible, given that it is such a prominent part of Australian culture, and keeping clubs sustainable.

The swimmers were off the mark, diving into the stunning blue waters of the new swimming pool at the Canterbury Aquatic and Tennis Centre. It was the first official race in the 50m Olympic swimming pool, conducted as the finale event at the official opening and blessing on 10 November 2020.

It’s not surprising that we have seen a rise in multi-user, shared or multi-purpose facilities. Multi-use facilities provide a feasible solution when the availability of greenspace is limited, when clubs have smaller membership numbers or distinct playing times, or when resources are limited. However, we have found that there is an expectation from some clubs that the Council will provide each club with their very own exclusive clubhouse and activity space. The dissonance between expectations and feasibility can stifle development of new facilities.

As the economy recovers over the coming seasons, start a journey to a new business model for sports clubs that accounts for the amazing value that these clubs contribute to your community, both economically and socially. Strategically setting your club’s value proposition is always a choice – your choice as a community leader in sport.

Sport plays a pivotal role in the fabric of Australian society. The current global situation is forcing us to change our daily routines and for many this includes giving up organised sport. For club volunteers however, a new set of challenges have arisen. Keeping members engaged and clubs running and viable during this period of downtime has become the focus for many committees.

Our Stakeholder Engagement team facilitated a community planting day for CSR Warner Quarry. Check out this great footage from the Habitat Hero Planting Day! We hosted more than 50 locals on the quarry where we planted over 200 trees as part of Planet Ark's National Tree Day.