POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT
There is an ever increasing awareness within local businesses in relation to Corporate Social Responsibility and we are looking to find individuals or companies that feel they are able to fulfil their CSR aspirations by supporting and working with the Guernsey Rugby Academy. We have a high profile in the local media and in return for supporting the Academy sponsors can achieve a good level of sustainable recognition.
Guernsey needs social entrepreneurs with the aspiration and potential to grow, but also to cooperate with each other and with the private sector where their particular skills are needed. By helping the Guernsey Rugby Academy your organisation can create a positive social impact.
The sport of rugby has a unique set of core values: teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship we seek to promote these core values to our young members and to take positive action in the Community.
- Developing skills, wellbeing, health and fitness
- Promoting responsible behaviour
- Reducing anti-social behaviour
The Guernsey Rugby Academy has established links with the Community Service Team and the Probation Service and welcomes and helps young players from all backgrounds.
The Guernsey Rugby Academy welcome enquiries for CSR collaborations around:
· company events
· facilitating public-private-community CSR partnerships
· practical projects to embed CSR in an organisation
· CSR presentations to help organisations envision a more responsible and sustainable future by working with local youth in sport and partnering
The Guernsey Rugby Academy is the only rugby club on the Island for young people. It is a Guernsey, limited by guarantee, company with charitable status. It draws players from a wide cross section of the Islands Primary and Secondary schools and will attract some 350 playing members aged from 6 to 19 years this coming season. The Academy is run by a group of 50 volunteers who are working to promote the core values of rugby within the Island community.
The Academy delivered more than 700 squad training sessions and fulfilled over 80 competitive fixtures during the 2010/2011 season taking some 300 individual Guernsey mini, midi and youth players away to the UK and France. The mini and midi teams entered festivals organised by Premiership rugby clubs and the youth teams competed in the RFU Hampshire Leagues. We have also been successful in promoting some of our youth players through to play at UK county standard. We have a number of young players who will hopefully develop to that level or higher next season.
During the 2010/2011 season the Academy was awarded the prestigious RFU ‘Seal of Approval’ This accreditation demonstrates an increase in participation and membership, high standards of coaches, referees and volunteers, links with the local community (schools and colleges) and an overall concern for the wellbeing of players in our care. We have a clear vision and a playing programme to define the core values of rugby and to pave the way for growth and success in the future. We want to give our players the best possible rugby education using the best facilities, coaching, equipment and kit that we can offer.
There are a number of other ways other than monetary sponsorship alone in which business could provide some much-needed horsepower to the Guernsey Rugby Academy and it’s fair to say that some of this is already happening. These are:
Mentoring and coaching – identifying mentors. There is plenty of space for the advocates, the management consultants, bankers and other organisations’ employees to get involved in helping us do more and perform better. Well structured pro bono activity by businesses offering strategic support for mutual benefit e.g. broadening our contact base and opportunities, providing loan funds or up-skilling our supply chain, rather than simply offering time could prove invaluable. Babbé Advocates for example helped us to incorporate as a limited by guarantee company and provided us with company secretarial and free legal advice. RBS International have provided us with free banking and a number of its employees have volunteered to take active management roles within the Academy organisation. KPMG helped us register as a charitable organisation to maximise the benefit of donations we receive and backed our Elite Player Development Pathway programme. Collins Stewart Wealth Management have donated the pro bono services of its Marketing manager to take the lead on re-branding and promoting the Academy’s profile. Our existing sponsors Babbé, RBS International and KPMG have all provided us with pro bono board members to give us invaluable strategic support and a platform to help the Academy find it’s feet.
Supply chain partnering– between corporates and the Guernsey Rugby Academy, each recognising the particular contribution of the other. These might build on an early example like Flybe entering into a Travel Partnership providing the Academy with a fixed fares deal and enhanced credit terms to assist with its travel requirements. Offshore International have become the Academy’s Media and Advertising partner and created the Academy’s new website. Further work Programme supply chain partnerships that could be developed would include identifying and working with an insurance partner on medical and travel insurance.
Investment, sponsorship and restructurings– providing more sources of finance and in more innovative ways e.g. financial guarantees were provided by the Guernsey Rugby Association for the Academy’s entry into the National Colt’s Cup. The Guernsey Sports Commission in conjunction with Collins Stewart Wealth Management have combined with the Guernsey Rugby Association LBG to pay the salary and fund a car for our Rugby Development Officer who is bringing a professional approach to the coaching provided at the Academy. Individual team sponsorships have been made by Intertrust, Praxis, Ronez and JW Rihoy & Sons this method of sponsoring has enabled specific targeted teams to participate in leagues or competitions where otherwise these teams would have not been able to do so. Hambros Societe Generale sponsored 195 young players with a travel subsidy to attend a major mini/midi rugby festival in St Lois In France. However, the type of investment or sponsorship contribution needs to recognise that fully commercial returns are, not on offer – rather a cocktail of financial and social return will be earned.
The Academy business plan has identified a need to pursue competitive fixtures off-Island in order to improve and develop our rugby young players’ skills. To this end, in the coming season we will be seeking to make some 1,800 player trips across all age groups with the Academy youth teams entering the Hampshire RFU Leagues at u14, u15 and u16 and the Sussex RFU Leagues with u18 teams. The majority of the travel costs are met by parents, however 40% of the cost is met by travel subsidies from the Academy by way of team sponsors.
If you or your company are able to help in any of the above ways to promote our work with young people in the local community, in local schools, with our programme of coaching and/or to subsidise our travel costs for away matches for the 2011/2012 season then we would be interested in hearing from you.
The Guernsey Rugby Academy LBG is a Guernsey registered company limited by guarantee with registration number: 52220 and is a Guernsey Registered Charity with registration number CH349 Registered office: 18-20 Smith Street, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 4BL
For further information please contact: Tony Mancini on tonyman@cwgsy.net or 07781128 830
