17 Mar 2011

ENTER! the UK

As part of the ENTER! programme, last weekend the Sport and Recreation Alliance hosted 30 women from a variety of sporting organisations from six European countries. They came to London for training and cultural activities designed to build understanding, confidence and connections.

ENTER! is a Europe-wide programme run over 18 months for women working within sporting organisations that provides training in each of the participating countries. The countries include Finland, Malta, Denmark, Hungary, France and the UK and in addition to the training, each offers a cultural programme to showcase their country.

Over the weekend the participants undertook training in sponsorship and marketing provided by marketing consultant Ed Coan of The FA. The training gave participants an understanding of the principles of marketing and how it applies to sporting events, a step-by-step guide on how to write a marketing plan and tips and tools for successfully seeking sponsorship. The skills acquired during these sessions were put into practice the following day when the participants were split into teams and asked to produce a mock pitch for a marketing or sponsorship campaign. With a strong mix of both direct and interactive learning, the participants reported that the training was both useful and enjoyable.

Aside from training, another objective of ENTER! is to offer participants experiences particular to the country they are visiting, as well as providing networking opportunities. Participants took in the West End show We Will Rock You and also went on a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour. These cultural activities were a great way for all to network and socialise in an informal environment.

As hosts of the final ENTER! weekend, we have been fortunate to experience each of the other countries’ programmes. From Finnish saunas to the Eiffel Tower we have enjoyed a whole range of training and cultural opportunities and in the process made some lasting friendships. Indeed, ENTER! has been so successful that consideration is being given to developing a programme which may see the opportunity of placements for women within sporting organisations of the participating countries.

Pippa Tooher
Events and Projects Officer at the Sport and Recreation Alliance

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