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Fuel the debate about issues across the industry and share your best practice. We’d love to hear from you – letters@leisuremedia.com

Contribute to improvements in physical literacy

Jack Shakespeare, director of research, policy and education, UK Active www.HCMmag.com/literacy

Sport England is working with a number of universities and partners to develop a Physical Literacy Consensus statement for England – and they want to hear your views on the draft text.

The consensus statement aims to provide a shared understanding of physical literacy, including a definition and explanation of what physical literacy is, why it is important, and how it can be supported.

Over the last six months, an expert group, including members from Liverpool John Moores University, Coventry University, the University of Bradford and the University of Gloucestershire – all in the UK – have worked together to develop the statement. They’re now inviting comments and feedback on the provisional consensus statement via a five-week national consultation, which is taking place between 9 January and 12 February. Please click on the link below to complete the national consultation survey, which should only take a few minutes.

We must futureproof our workforce

Jenny Patrickson, MD, Active IQ

The Government’s decision not to include the leisure sector in the list of businesses qualifying for additional energy support is as shortsighted as always seems to be the case when it comes to our sector’s essential role in preventative healthcare.

The government forced physical activity facility closures during a health pandemic and now we face the risk of indirect closures due to lack of Government support.

Aside from the continued lobbying required to support our facilities and their workforce we also need to reinvent physical activity workforce opportunities to futureproof them and provide for better health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the population.

We need to offer broader career pathways, flexible ‘mix and match’ occupational standards, on which future-facing qualifications can be built and diverse job roles that have a place within all environments and all spaces – traditional and nontraditional, inside and outdoors.

Together with all our brilliant industry partners we have the ability to make this happen… and the time is now.