Workshop 1
Deploying with Confidence – Enabling a Sustainable Workforce
Colin Huffen – Associate Director for Standards and Regulation, CIMSPA
Lee Pooley – Director of Recreation and Development, Paddle UK
Consistency in standards and expectations is critical if the sport and physical activity sector is to overcome ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. A clear, sector-wide approach to workforce deployment not only helps reduce risk for professionals, employers, and participants, but also builds confidence, safeguards quality, and ensures the workforce is equipped to meet the diverse and changing needs of the communities it serves.
This session will explore the role of a Standards for Deployment policy in creating a more coherent and professional sector. Delegates will learn how adopting a consistent, principles-based approach to deploying the workforce can drive up quality, support safe practice, and build stronger, more resilient organisations. With practical case studies and implementation insights, the session will demonstrate how workforce deployment policies can be embedded effectively, and the positive impact they can deliver for customers, staff, and the wider system.
Workshop 2
Knowledge is Power – How Data Takes Us from Insight to Foresight
Phill Wright – Head of Insight and Impact, CIMSPA
Steven Osborne – Lecturer in Sport Management and Development, Cardiff School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University and Chair of the Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Observatory
From shifting participation patterns to economic pressures and widening skills gaps, access to robust, timely data has never been more important. The Sport and Physical Activity Workforce Observatory is building a powerful evidence base that enables employers, policy-makers, and education institutions to better understand the current workforce and plan strategically for the future. By using insight to drive decisions, the sector can build a more resilient, diverse, and capable workforce equipped to meet future demands.
This session will explore how data can support effective workforce planning, inform curriculum development, and guide recruitment and retention strategies. Delegates will learn how to use labour market insight to identify emerging trends, address inequalities, and align workforce development with evolving sector needs. Through real-world examples and practical applications, the session will demonstrate how data can be used not only to respond to today’s challenges, but to proactively shape a stronger, more sustainable future for the sector.
Workshop 3
Aligning Local Opportunity - Growing the Workforce Through Skills and Strategy
Chaired by Natasha Eason – Associate Director for Education and Careers, CIMSPA
Deborah Woodcock – Deputy Director, Department for Work and Pensions
Other TBC
With over one in five working-age adults economically inactive and close to a million young people not in employment, education or training, the sport and physical activity sector is uniquely placed to provide accessible, purpose-driven career pathways. As a sector built on community impact, wellbeing and inclusion, it can play a key role in addressing national employment challenges while strengthening its own workforce.
This session will explore how strategic collaboration between employers, learning providers, the Department for Work and Pensions, and devolved authorities is helping to connect people with local opportunities. Delegates will discover how aligning skills development with regional priorities can support social mobility, meet local employer needs, and provide long-term solutions to recruitment and retention challenges. Through real-world examples, the session will showcase how joined-up approaches can build a stronger, more inclusive workforce, and offer individuals meaningful careers that make a difference.
