Congratulations to Clubforce who today releases their biggest-ever update: Clubforce NextGen
Today marks a new era for sports tech company, Clubforce, with the roll-out of the biggest update to their sports club management system: Clubforce NextGen.
The platform combines Clubforce’s extensive experience working with thousands of sports clubs globally, alongside the very latest in technology, design and security. The net result is Ireland’s most advanced and secure sports club management platform.
Clubforce NextGen is designed to significantly reduce the growing administrative burden on club volunteers whilst also helping them grow their fundraising.
We’ve helped thousands of clubs reach their strategic goals and fundraising targets. The NextGen platform builds on this by adding a whole new level of innovation on top.
Ensuring volunteers are able to fulfil their legal obligations around their club data is also at the forefront of the new platform. Clubforce is the only sports club management platform in Ireland certified to international standards for data security (ISO27001).
The legal responsibilities and liability around securing club member’s data are very onerous for volunteer-led clubs. We have completed this strict certification so that clubs can have peace of mind that when they choose Clubforce, they will have fully met their responsibilities.
Clubforce CEO, Noel Murray
The club product is just one part of a significant investment in innovation for the business. The club platform is designed to form part of a wider digital ecosystem connecting clubs through to regional, national and international sports associations.
To celebrate the launch, on top of its competitive annual charges, Clubforce is offering additional reductions to new clubs moving to the platform including zero setup fees and a free website builder worth over €300.
The Clubforce NextGen platform is available immediately – find out more on our product pages and book your demo today.
The Federation of Irish Sport is delighted to announce a brand-new category for Women in Business in Sport in partnership with KPMG is now open for nomination for the Irish Sport Industry Awards, in association with Financial Broker. This new award is to recognise and reward sustained excellence by a female professional working in business related to sport on the island of Ireland that has delivered innovation, growth, leadership or standout services in the industry.
We are inviting nominations to celebrate women who are a standout performer and has shown significant achievement in the advancement and/or promotion of Sport, be it through creation of or implementation of a new innovation, use of technology, campaign conceptualisation/execution resulting in a step change in sport. KPMG have long been champions of women in business and sport, it has a rich history of not only supporting women in sport through their various sponsorship properties, but also in supporting women to excel in business through their ‘Going for Growth’ initiative. They have also recently published a research report on the Impact of Sport on Women in Business, linking the important skills learned through sport and how this can have a positive impact to women succeeding in the boardroom.
Through this award we want to champion women who are advocates for the development of sport in business through their professional contribution, standout services, either as a leader or emerging talent.
The Federation of Irish Sport today launched the 2023 Irish Sport Industry Awards in association with Financial Broker. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 25th May in The Westin Hotel’s historic Banking Hall.
The Federation is very pleased to welcome Financial Broker – the consumer financial brand of Brokers Ireland as the official sponsor of the 2023 Irish Sport Industry Awards. The awards celebrate and reward excellence in the business of sport, while simultaneously highlighting the contribution of sport to the Irish economy. This will be the sixth staging of the awards which recognise the invaluable relationship between business and sport in Ireland. The Sport industry in Ireland supports 64,000 jobs, stimulates €3.3 billion in household spending, and generates €3.7 billion (GVA) gross value added to the Irish economy.
Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport said: “I’m delighted to launch the call for entries from next Monday and to announce Financial Broker as the official sponsor of these prestigious awards. I would like to thank them for their support in recognising the valuable link sport plays to the economy. Through these awards and variety of categories we recognise the value that sport adds to the Irish economy across the sporting landscape. According to Sport Ireland research the sport economy has grown faster than the economy as a whole over the past 10 years. We are looking forward to building on the success of the 2022 awards and celebrating the return to sporting activity post-pandemic and looking towards the future of the sports sector.”
Brokers Ireland is delighted to announce the new partnership collaboration between Financial Broker, and the 2023 Irish Sport Industry Awards.
Commenting on the partnership with Financial Broker, Liam Carberry, President of Brokers Ireland, said: “We are proud to collaborate with the Federation of Irish Sport on their prestigious annual Irish Sport Industry Awards which recognises the value that the sports sector contributes to Irish society, in addition to the work being done by National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships within communities across the country” stated Liam.
‘’There are synergies between the Federation of Irish Sport which is the voice for Irish sport and endorses the value, well-being, and positive attributes that sports participation offers, and the Financial Broker brand which provides consumers with a more confident and holistic approach to financial guidance. Studies have shown that proactive financial planning can help to build a more secure financial foundation which can lead to a happier, healthier life’’ said Liam.
Entries are now open for submission, for a full list of categories, event updates and to enter the awards go to: www.irishsportindustryawards.ie. Closing date for entries is Thursday 4th May.
Pictured above in attendance at the launch of the awards: from left are, Liam Carberry, President of Financial Broker, Rachel McGovern Director Financial Services at Financial Broker, Mary O’Connor, CEO Federation of Irish Sport and Rob Hartnett, CEO Sport for Business and Chair of the Judging Panel for the Irish Sport Industry Awards.
About the Irish Sport Industry Awards
The award categories celebrate Best Sports Businesses (new and existing) the Jimmy Magee Award for Best Sports Coverage of the Year, leading governing body and local sports partnership initiatives, Best Sports Sponsorship, Best Inclusivity initiative, Best promotion of Women in Sport, Best Use of Communications platforms, and the Outstanding Achievement Award.
The entries will be judged by an esteemed judging panel comprising of media, PR, and independent sports industry experts and Chaired by Sport for Business founder and CEO Rob Hartnett. The Jimmy Magee FIS/ASJI Award for Sports Coverage of the Year will be independently adjudicated by the Association of Sports’ Journalists Ireland (ASJI), ASJI President Paul Lennon and include Kelli O’Keeffe MD Teneo, Sport and Sponsorship and Sarah O’Connor Deputy CEO of Wilson Hartnell as panellists.
About the Federation of Irish Sport
Established in 2002, the Federation of Irish Sport is the representative organisation for the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in Ireland. The Federation’s membership consists of over 110 members comprising of 81 NGBs and 29 LSPs, representing over 12,000 sports clubs nationwide. The role of the Federation is to speak on behalf of its members and represent their views to the public, while also providing them with a range of services.
About Brokers Ireland /Financial Broker
Brokers Ireland is the leading representative body for Brokers with a combined strength of over 1,250 firms representing both general insurance and financial brokers throughout Ireland. Financial Broker firms advise consumers on financial service products and services including pensions; protection; savings; investment and mortgage products. Financial Brokers are experts on financial planning matters and provide a wide choice of products and providers from across the market. See www.financialbroker.ie for further information on the Financial Broker brand offering.
A new Sports Industry Traineeship was officially launched by Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne T.D. This traineeship is a collaboration between Ballyfermot Training Centre and the Federation of Irish Sport through a shared vision of supplying qualified and experienced workers to the sports industry.
Ballyfermot Training Centre has a long history of training in the area of sports and recreation. Pre Covid over 64,000 people were employed in the sports industry accounting for nearly 3% of the labour market. Since covid and the reopening of industry, a need for the supply of qualified sports workers arose and presented an opportunity for the Centre to develop a traineeship to meet the skills shortage. Through a number of focus groups, key skills for the sports industry were identified and the course was modelled to deliver those skills through on the job and off the job training.
A traineeship gives those on the course the opportunity to be placed with an industry partner for a minimum of 10 weeks, developing essential skills, and building relationships within the organisation. This model of traineeship in Ballyfermot Training Centre has seen 95% of trainees secure full time work with their host companies.
The course will launch in April 2023 and registration for those interested in the course is now open. Those who succeed in securing a place and completing the course will gain QQI and industry relevant certification that is recognised throughout the world.
City of Dublin ETB is looking forward to working with their new partners to successfully train and prepare their learners for a career in the sports industry. Further information can be found on www.ballyfermottrainingcentre.ie
Speaking about the Traineeship, Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne T.D., said: “Collaboration between further education training centres and industry can ensure that skilled and enthusiastic workers enter the labour market with fit for purpose skills and a foundation of relevant work experience. Gaining qualifications is central to longevity in employment and this is excellently showcased in this new and exciting Sports Industry Traineeship. I am delighted to note that the traineeship will have its first intake of students in April 2023 and I am confident that the sports industry will positively benefit from this collaboration.”
Caroline Duggan, Assistant Manager of Ballyfermot Training Centre, said of the course:
This traineeship marks an important milestone for Ballyfermot Training Centre, ensuring that sport in Ireland, and in particular the greater Dublin Area, will benefit from the skilled trainees that learn their trade in our centre. Working closely with Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport,
has allowed us to engage with a network of sports industry bodies and organisations, enabling the course to be developed to meet the varied needs in all areas of the sports industry, from sports development to facility operations. Sport is such an important vehicle in building communities. Our Training Centre, as part of City of Dublin ETB, value our relationships with both community and industry, and we look forward to working with the Federation of Irish Sport, Ireland Active, CARA, and the numerous NGB’s to ensure that we continue to grow and develop opportunities for those interested in working in the sport sector to enhance the sporting and physical activity opportunities for all.
Mary O Connor CEO, Federation of Irish Sport
The traineeship is another important development for the sport industry in Ireland. The value of skilled trainees coming in to the sector builds capacity and creates opportunities for more people to participate in sport and physical activity, while ensuring that the sector also can ensure expertise and a diverse skillset in the workplace. The federation of Irish sport are delighted to work with Ballyfermot training centre on this innovative and forward thinking traineeship.
The Federation of Irish Sport celebrated the winners of the 2022 Volunteers in Sport Awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships at a luncheon awards ceremony at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown. The special guest speaker at the awards Thomas Byrne, Minister of State with responsibility for Sport & Physical Education, presented the recipients from each county with a custom-made medal recognising their amazing dedication to volunteering across a variety of different sports. In addressing the gathering he said “….Volunteering is the backbone of sport in this country. From the grassroots to the board room we need volunteers, we depend on volunteers.”
In addition to the 32 county award winners, the overall Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Aislinn Nugent of Valleymount LGFA from Co. Wicklow in special recognition of her promotion of inclusivity, community spirit, health and well-being through Sport in the community for over 20 years.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across the country who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year. This equates to approximately 37.3 million hours of volunteering across Ireland’s 13,000 registered sports clubs and associations and, according to Sport Ireland’s 2021 ‘Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland’ report, is worth an estimated €1.5bn to the exchequer.
Full list of winners for the 2022 Federation of Irish Sport Volunteer in Sport awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships
The awards ceremony will take place at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown on 22nd March 2023
The Federation of Irish Sport has today announced the winners of the 2022 Volunteers in Sport Awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships. The special guest speaker at the awards is Thomas Byrne, Minister of State with responsibility for Sport & Physical Education, which will take place on 22nd March at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown and will see volunteers from all 32 counties honoured for their amazing dedication to volunteering across a variety of different sports.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across the country who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year. This equates to approximately 37.3 million hours of volunteering across Ireland’s 13,000 registered sports clubs and associations and, according to Sport Ireland’s 2021 ‘Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland’ report, is worth an estimated €1.5bn to the exchequer.
Throughout December and early 2023 members of the public, sports clubs and governing bodies were invited to nominate an individual whose contribution to sport and physical activity in Ireland has made a real difference to their community, club, or county. Following a shortlisting process by the Selection Committee, the judging panel consisting of 9 individuals drawn from sports administration, academia, the volunteer community and media, and included former Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy, RTÉ Sports Broadcaster, Marie Crowe, Roddy Guiney, Chair WHPR and Clare McGrath, Chairperson of the Federation of Irish Sport.
In addition to the 32 county-level award winners, an overall Outstanding Achievement Award will be revealed at the awards celebration on the 22nd March.
Commenting on the awards, Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne TD said:
“The volunteers being recognised today deserve enormous credit. Their work, often unseen and undertaken without any fuss or fanfare, makes sport a reality for hundreds if not thousands of people in their communities. In particular, the work of volunteers enables young people to play the sport that they love, to meet their friends and form lasting friendships. In so many ways, volunteers are the lifeblood of sport in this country, and I am privileged to have this opportunity to publicly acknowledge their vital contribution to Irish sport.”
Speaking about the importance of the awards, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, Mary O’Connor said:
“In every county throughout the country, clubs and sporting organisations facilitate multi-generational opportunities for people to be involved in sport and physically activity. The work and goodwill of sport volunteers across the country cannot be taken for granted… Every week in Ireland more than 450,000 volunteers bring sport and physical activity to life for our communities and it’s time we afford their hard work the recognition it deserves. It is therefore important that we showcase the size and scale of this contribution by bringing such volunteers together today at the Volunteers in Sport Awards with attendees from every county in the country to shine a spotlight on the positive work they do for sport and physical activity.”
CEO Sport Ireland, Dr. Una May commented: “I would like to congratulate all the winners at the Volunteers in Sport Awards. Sport Ireland and its network of Local Sports Partnerships are delighted to recognise the invaluable contribution of volunteers to the promotion of sport and physical activity in Ireland. The LSPs collaborate with and depend on the remarkable dedication of volunteers to create opportunities for all members of the community to participate in sport and physical activity. This ensures a culture where sport and physical activity is inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or abilities. We are grateful for the inspiring efforts of the volunteers being celebrated today, and all volunteers across the country, who help us achieve this.”
Head of Louth Sports Partnership, Graham Russell said:
”As the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships, we are each individually committed to supporting volunteers in our local Clubs, sporting organisations and other non-sporting groups that assist in making opportunities available within their own communities for people to enjoy all forms of physically activity. We are privileged to see, first hand, the amazing work these people do, and we are all delighted to see these local volunteers getting recognition at National level.”
Full list of winners for the 2022 Federation of Irish Sport Volunteer in Sport awards proudly supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships
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