Keating joins LSAB for Greater Manchester
The business chief of a community interest company (CIC) pioneering a pivot-to-active wellbeing and changing the way leisure industry managers view the purpose of their roles has been appointed chair of the newly-created Local Skills Accountability Board (LSAB) for Greater Manchester.
The national network of LSABs is being pioneered by CIMSPA as part of its local skills delivery project.
The new chair is Jon Keating, head of business operations and company secretary at GM Active CIC, a 12-strong collective of leisure and community organisations across Greater Manchester that manages most of the publicly-owned leisure and physical activity services on behalf of GM’s 10 local authorities.
The regional LSAB, one of several being created across the UK, is aiming to improve the conditions for the physical activity and sport sector in Greater Manchester, and improve the ability of local operators to recruit, train, support and retain an inclusive, representative and skilled workforce.
Keating’s appointment to the voluntary role is bolstered by the knowledge and experience he has garnered from GM Active’s Pivot to Active Wellbeing – a change programme involving all local authority leisure operators across GM, evolving how local leisure centres, swimming pools, fitness facilities and services are perceived and used, and placing a bigger emphasis on mental and physical health and wellbeing as well as fitness.
As part of the programme, GM Active has introduced a Transformational Leadership Programme, which is steering would-be leaders from being ‘fitness and facilities managers’ towards public health and wellbeing.
One of the first priorities of the LSABs will be to create a Skills Strategy and Action Plan by bringing together local employers, education providers and relevant local and national partners.
