The morning after the US Election we were in need of a little inspiration, and a little immersion in the world of social good, and that is exactly what we got at the 2024 Sport for Business Sport for Social Good Conference, in partnership with Allianz.
We hosted this year’s gathering in the Baggot Street offices of BDO and we kicked off proceedings chatting to Steven O’Connell of the Football Cooperative, a social enterprise founded by one man’s desire to get a little bit fitter and have fun in meeting friends. Isn’t it so often the case that what is simple can be perfect and with cooperatives now up and running in Malahide and Limerick, the idea has taken off.
A research project with SETU gave positive evidence of the impact they are having and this is a story still in its earliest chapters.
Rachel Kavanagh established the CP Football Academy ten years ago and joined us to talk about the positive impact this was having for so many boys and girls now. The shared experience of realising you are not the only one and playing with friends is powerful and even better when you can also get to play for your country.
Rachel was heading straight to the airport to wave off her 16 year old son who is doing just that in Spain this weekend and we can only wish him and his teammates the very best of luck.
Our third guest speakers were Helen McHugh of Sport Ireland and Gráinne O’Neill the Sport4Empowement officer with the Kildare Local Sports Partnership. This new funding stream comes out of the EU’s Erasmus + programme and is worth €8 million over the next six years. Every county in the country will have a dedicated officer to explore ways in which sport can be used to create positive community benefit and it is one that will also be growing in impact and awareness over the coming years.
Colin Regan from the GAA Community and Health section was up next after the networking break and gave us the lowdown on how the GAA is living up to its pledge to be ‘where we all belong’. Over 600 clubs are now actively ‘Healthy Clubs’ implementing a wide range of activities within their local communities.
Being able to serve these wider communities at the same time as running a diverse and busy sporting body is not easy but the importance of doing it is fully recognised in the quiet moments as well as the times of emergency such as when clubs stepped up to deliver food during the pandemic.
Adrian Geissel is on a mission to map the natural environment through the lens of accessibility. Able Active is an app for those with a lived experience of disability to give them knowledge of trails and areas where they can get active and how they can best be navigated, and to make entries themselves on how improvements might be made.
Our final speaker was Michael Darragh MacAuley, the new CEO at Sanctuary Runners and bringing energy and imagination to the role, just as he did to the room.
Our partnership with Allianz in this key area has been rewarding, impactful in itself and will continue. Not just one a year but throughout the days and weeks and months we will continue to highlight the best of what are members are doing through sport, supported through business and making our society better.
Thanks to BDO for a great venue and to everyone who came as a speaker or a guest for giving your time to tell the story of what you are doing and to learn.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
