National Participation and Engagement Plan 2021-22 Hockey Australia, with assistance from Sport Australia, in partnership The Plan’s intention is to meet the challenges in hockey, the same or similar challenges that are experienced across with the Member Associations, community sport in general. and in collaboration with grassroot communities in Associations and To do this, this Plan: Clubs, have developed the National 1. Aligns the participation, recruitment and retention focus with the broader Hockey Australia Strategic Plan. Participation and Engagement Plan 2. Provides innovative, supportive and collaborative measures critical in assisting all hockey communities in (the Plan) which will see the game recovering from the COVID-19 experience. grow into the future. 3. Offers hockey the best opportunity to position itself to grow the game in all areas during the life of the subsequent Plan, commencing in 2023. This Plan has been developed with The Plan demonstrates how Hockey Australia will implement its strategic direction in the participation and the hockey community, for the hockey engagement space, whilst supporting Member Associations to establish programs and measures to meet their community. A top-down approach in strategic goals and the localised requirements of their communities. drafting this document would not have Due to the level and spirit of consultation in its development and the practical nature of the content, the Plan will be engaged our hockey communities to the a primary resource for a Member Association, local Clubs and Associations. extent they were. Flexibility in approach It is an Association/Club friendly document which can be referenced regularly by grassroots communities, in and delivery is critical in meeting the conjunction with their State/Territory bodies. It provides direction, comfort and assurance to our hockey members, diverse needs of our hockey family. participants and volunteers that they are on track in providing a positive experience for those accessing our sport. Hockey Australia will support common The Plan is constructed on the most up to date, evidenced-based research around community sport and narrows in needs and provide frameworks to allow on the more hockey specific challenges. national reach through local delivery. The foundation of the Plan is the nine Sport Australia Participation Drivers. This is the first introduction of these Drivers to our sport and will serve as a strong base for hockey to springboard into the life of this and future Plans. The Drivers were developed through a straw-man framework. Initial learnings were taken from existing Sport Australia documentation. These learnings were tested and refined through a desktop review of available literature from within and outside the sports sector. The drivers were then tested and further refined with stakeholders from all levels of the sports sector, including Sport Australia, National Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations, and representatives from community sport. The iterative process resulted in the final nine drivers listed and defined in this document. While not included as a standalone Driver, inclusion is an underlying principle that sits within each. Hockey has a proud history of diversity and inclusion, and it is expected our sport approaches everything we do in a welcoming and inclusive manner. In hockey we accept everyone, just as they are. The journey over the next two years is an exciting one, and one that will be full of great innovation and engagement. Our Purpose Hockey is a sport The sport of hockey We also strongly played across is a welcoming, believe that every Australia, from the family friendly and participant should city to the country, inclusive sport and have the opportunity equally by men Our national teams are we wish to fully We consider enjoyment to strive to achieve and women, boys among the best in the embrace existing across all aspects their personal and girls. world and regularly and new – players, of the game to be a aspirations as achieve podium coaches, officials, central philosophy a player, coach, performances at major staff, volunteers and which underpins how official, volunteer or benchmark events. fans alike. we operate. paid administrator. Our Values Leadership Integrity Excellence Inclusion Our values are central to our way of working. At Hockey Australia we will: Continue to LEAD by working collaboratively with our stakeholders. Operate with INTEGRITY in all areas of our work by placing the best interests of hockey in Australia at the centre of any decision. Pursue EXCELLENCE both on and off the field of play. INCLUDE and welcome any person who wants to engage in, and enjoy, our wonderful sport. Of the New and Returning, respondents play hockey for fun 89% State of Play fitness 68% friendships 66% Membership and Participation Numbers National Engagement Survey 2020 The number of responses received across the New, Returning and Lost members for the Year Memberships +/- % Participation +/- % National Engagement Survey 2020 was 3,403. 2016 98,435 196,584 New 2017 95,373 -3.1% 183,334 -6.7% 50% of the new members The top motivations for New members for trying The most common things 2018 93,770 -1.7% 203,853 +11.2% were returning after playing hockey were to hockey for the first time reported by new players a break, with the have fun (89%), to get fit were more likely to be that hockey could do to 2019 97,608 +4.1% 205,450 +0.8% remainder trying hockey and healthy (64%) and to motivated by improving encourage more people for the first time. socialize (62%). their new skills. to join the sport were 2020* 76,653 -21.5% 162,176 -21.1% nothing (26%), reduce cost (24%) and provide discounts (14%). *No formal club hockey competition conducted in Victoria in 2020 due to the impact of COVID. Returning The top motivations for playing hockey were to have The most common things reported by returning fun (88%), to get fit and healthy (72%) and to socialise players that hockey could do to encourage more (71%). To improve skills was higher in the younger people to join the sport were reduce the cost (34%), and older age groups, whereas, to relieve stress was provide discounts (13%) and nothing now (12%). higher in the middle age group. Lost The largest lost 25% of lost players 67% of those who did not return to hockey were demographic was the intend to return in 2021, satisfied with their experience. The most common 12-17 year old cohort. 14% will not return and reason for not returning was COVID-19 (19%). 26% were undecided. Market Insights MEASURE OF SUCCESS The collection of evidence on current and 1. Design, in partnership with Member potential participants; OBJECTIVES Associations, a consistent Member and the operating Engagement Survey by December 2020. • Develop a consistent approach, 2. Hockey Australia to lead the analyses of environment. timing and process in surveying member data annually to increase awareness New, Lost and Returning members. of the motivations and barriers to participation • Develop the knowledge and in Hockey with the aim to return to 2018 capability to capture and evaluate participant numbers by December 2022. new data (internal and external) to support the review of existing, and 3. Hockey Australia to lead the analyses of the development of new, Hockey member data to identify and assist in products to address barriers, implementing effective strategies to reduce threats and opportunities. the National churn by 3% from December 2021 to December 2022. Product Design MEASURE OF SUCCESS The development of a product with benefits and 1. Hockey Australia to establish a features to meet consumer working group to review and provide needs & wants. OBJECTIVES recommendations on the current participation product suite by • Review and co-design products February 2021. and programs that are based 2. In partnership with Member Associations, on evidence and can be flexibly develop quality resources for program delivered. deliverers, teachers, coaches, umpires, • Provide bespoke support and officials, and participants to assist in introduce sustainable existing tailoring the national product offerings products used by communities to to suit the needs of each jurisdiction by Member Associations to meet the December 2021. needs of their jurisdiction. 3. Implement Stick2Hockey formats nationally, with Hockey Australia support by December 2022. Commercial MEASURE The development OF SUCCESS of sustainable participation products & the commercialisation 1. Conduct annual reviews of nationally OBJECTIVES delivered products to ensure their of related assets. sustainability and are commercially viable. • Develop a National strategy to align Hookin2Hockey to HockeyOne. 2. Develop a set of resources to support Member Associations to align with a • Identify commercial opportunities HockeyOne franchise offer by February 2022. for Hookin2Hockey. • Facilitate relationships between Member Associations to educate on proven and sustainable programs and initiatives that have been identified as opportunities for their communities. Workforce MEASURE OF SUCCESS The means by which 1. The National Coaching and Officiating Framework to be: products are delivered OBJECTIVES a. Finalised by April 2021 to the market. • Develop a National Coaching and b. Implemented (new LMS operating) by Officiating framework to support December 2021 and guide Member Associations c. Completed transition (all current and new to deliver quality, safe and accreditations) by December 2022. inclusive programs. • Expand on the Shared Service 2. Establish resources to support coaches, officials model to support Member and volunteers at Club level by December 2022. Associations to manage the 3. Facilitate mentoring opportunities to support demand on coaches, officials Member Associations in areas of self-identified and volunteers in undertaking deficiencies and/or omissions within their their roles. workforce, building their capacity to support their • Develop and implement grassroots communities by December 2022. educational modules that builds 4. In partnership with Member Associations, establish the capacity and capability of a suite of resources to support the recruitment, volunteers and paid employees.