Southland Sport
Sport Southland is seeking more diverse views in a bid to address the region’s poor activity rates.
According to national research data, Southland adults have the worst rates of physical activity in the country and the region’s youth are active for less than an hour each day, which is below recommended guidelines.
Sport Southland chief executive Brendon McDermott said the data challenged existing perceptions.
“I think for a long time we have had this assumption that Southlanders in general are an active bunch, but we also know that our communities are changing over time, for instance we have an ageing population and we also have a more multi-cultural society than we did a decade ago.”
One of the ways Sport Southland is addressing the challenges of decreased activity is ensuring there are a range of opinions around its own board table, McDermott said.
“Having a variety of experiences and viewpoints involved is really important for our board as we look to design a new strategy that will take us beyond 2020.
“The ways in which Sport Southland supports the community to be more active has changed in recent years, we are about more than sport now. We believe play, active recreation and sport all play an integral role in the mental and physical wellbeing of our community.”
Sport Southland board chairman Steven Kennedy said people were sometimes reluctant to put themselves forward for governance roles, but he encouraged anyone who had a passion for positively influencing the wellbeing of Southland’s communities to get in touch.
“Previous governance experience is an asset, but this is also a great opportunity to develop capability in that area. Ideally, we are looking for strategic thinkers with strong existing networks,” Kennedy said.
“This is a governance opportunity where you can see a direct impact on the community, especially having a positive impact on our young people and their whānau, now and in the future.”
Anyone interested in applying to become a Sport Southland trustee can contact Brendon McDermott [email protected]