Promotion & Advocacy

The New Zealand Recreation Association's core advocacy position is built around advocating on behalf of the industry for the benefits of recreation. This includes advocating to key funders, national and local decision makers, stakeholders and members.  NZRA seeks, through this advocacy, to grow the profile and knowledge of the benefits of a strong, vibrant and well-funded sector.

In order to achieve the above outcomes, the NZRA Advocacy Plan has been developed to help confirm the organisation's delivery of advocacy to, and on behalf of, the sector, to guide Board, staff and the wider membership on the key areas of communication. This plan will be presented within the organisation's Business Plan and will be reviewed quarterly or more frequently as required and will drive the major communications coming from NZRA.

The following is a list of areas that NZRA will progress to achieve the desired advocacy outcome:

1. Commission regular articles on topics that are current and reinforce the ethos and benefits of parks and recreation. Relevant articles to be distributed to all NZRA members electronically and via hard copy where appropriate

2. Framework/system to enable Board Members, Regional committee (and indeed all members) to advise the CEO of any advocacy ideas, issues, suggestions relevant to their circumstances (e.g. new facility, staff member precluded from commenting on a matter, politically sensitive issue, and the like) to be developed and communicated.

3. Board to Board Liaison. The Board allocate one Board member to liaise with key organisations.An annual meeting to be held, coordinated by the respective Board member of NZRA, with each of these organisations that have some impact on our business plan.

4. A national agenda/position/information document to send to every councillor/MP on a regular basis - at least once annually.This to include topics/ideas such as:  

• Local opportunities for recreation for social, mental and physical wellbeing 
• People more likely to holiday locally
• Social benefits in times of recession can build social capital and resilience 
• How to access young people

5. Each sector (Pools, Parks, Recreation) to develop a list of the top 5-10 areas that NZRA will advocate on and to whom.To be done at sector seminars in 2010 (Green Pavlova, JAWS, Thinking Recreation and National Conference). This is the more specific sector focus for advocacy and not taking the place of the NZRA Position paper and high level advocacy goals.

6. Advocacy responding to immediate and urgent issues will include media releases which are circulated to all NZRA members, MPs, CEO's of relevant government agencies, and the like. (For example: impact of reduction in funding to SPARC or ASB Community Trust canceling funding round - implications, impact, flow on effect).

7. Organisational Advocacy - advocating the benefits of membership and worth of the organisation to existing and potential members and external stakeholders.This includes things such as: review of membership form/fee, review of benefits, personal growth opportunities within NZRA sphere of work.

8. Direct contact with Ministers for Sport, Health, Education, ACC and Local Government.

Recreation in a Recession - The Big Picture 

With the country bracing itself for its biggest recession in decades, what lies ahead for the sport and recreation sector and who cares?

Recreation in a Recession - The Big Picture (PDF article)