Vision for orienteering in 2025 survey

[RS]

What do you think of it as a survey?

Just spent ages filling it in and adding considered responses and it's failed to send

[plain lazy]

Where is it? BO page? IOF?

OK found it tucked into the corner of the BO webpage. I filled it out and it appears to have worked OK for me. Well it said thank you for completing it at least...

[graeme]

Orienteering is running with a map. At no point does the survey offer options using the words "run" or "map". A vision without these concepts is not one I can share.

I had a hard time deciding between...

Orienteering – is a sport widely understood and highly regarded for its physical and mental challenges and its care for the environment; a sport that is growing and that is accessible and attractive to all

Orienteering – is a well-recognised sport meeting the needs of the majority of participants of all ages and abilities; our good practice is recognised amongst world orienteering nations and UK sporting bodies

Every family tries orienteering and orienteering is recognised as the outdoor adventure sport for all

They all seem to mean the same thing (unfocussed vision?).


Another thing that's missing is any clarity about what level things should be delivered. So, for example, I think "major events" are very important, but BOF-central isn't the best organisation to deliver them. How then do I allocate resources to "major events".

[andypat]

I done it!

To be fair at least its an effort to gather some views. I'm always happy to share mine...

[RJ]

I think "major events" are very important, but BOF-central isn't the best organisation to deliver them. How then do I allocate resources to "major events".

I agree. And when you think carefully about it, it is the club that does all the work..... it is the club where members reside, where the volunteers are to be found, where the mapping is done, where uses are found for maps. Everything about the sport is effectively generated at club level. Clubs might get together (as a region perhaps) to put on major events. But the vast bulk of activities and events are organised, planned, promoted and staged by a club.

Most of our efforts should be centred on 'the club', improving them, and giving them the skills to develop, enhance and expand the membership and participation. They are at the base of the pyramid, and they should be given the skills to build the pyramid we need for the future health of the sport.

[mykind]

totally agree with RJ. orienteering is totally self funding at club level so that is where any new developments need to happen. BO cannot realistically develop the sport when the delivery is carried out by clubs. It seems highly questionable to me if we really need BO in its present form.

[SJC]

BO cannot realistically develop the sport when the delivery is carried out by clubs.

So the sport can only be realistically developed by involving third parties to deliver this on a commercial basis.

It seems highly questionable to me if we really need BO in its present form.

The question is what (some of) the existing membership wants from BOF to continue the sport as it is run by the clubs today vs. the role of a national sports governing body to look at all aspects of the sport. This is presumably what the vision and strategic plan is all about.

[SeanC]

It might be a good question for clubs to answer, what's their vision for 2025?

BOF clearly have a (could be a lot more) significant role as a service provider, to support clubs and regions where such services are more efficiently organised at a national level (eg publicity, insurance, membership)

BOF's development vision recently seems to have been to increase participation by franchising simple formats outside of clubs. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? More people running round woods looking at maps can't be a bad thing. But some may question how clubs will benefit if there isn't an incentive to convert some of this participation into membership, and fear the focus on outside providers means that there is less support for clubs.

I noticed when we were in the lakes that the big Forestry Commission tourist centre at Grizedale is doing Xplorer, presumably this is being run by FC staff rather than a local orienteering club? What are the links with local clubs like? Will this encourage some to get into club orienteering?

[RJ]

BOF's development vision recently seems to have been to increase participation by franchising simple formats outside of clubs. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? More people running round woods looking at maps can't be a bad thing.

This is exactly what other 'sports' are doing.... promoting a form of their sport to a much wider audience, and getting large participation. Mini cricket, tennis, footie..... Many schools have permanent O markers around their grounds and 'do' orienteering in lessons.

What clubs need is help to create a localised model of the sport, that is fresh, clean, bright, vibrant, appealing.... that clubs can promote to their audience. We need a branding, colourful advertising 'furniture' that will help to attract local people to our 'local' informal events.

Lake District clubs don't have any input into the Explorer scheme that is running, and may be expanded to other FC and NT outlets. But with Explorer we have a bright branding that will attract participants..... but not to the sport we offer (at the moment!).

However, the Cumbrian clubs have a very strong presence in schools, and the clubs all run very successful leagues where many of the future juniors come from. Quite a few of the members of the World Schools Teams were from this.