Aktive Annual Report 2014/15

Aktive Annual Report 2014/2015 4
PICKING UP THE PACE
Kia whakahohoro
The first full year of Aktive’s activity has seen progress gather pace from the significant
first strides taken in those initial months of operation 2013/14.
Beginning as Auckland’s own response to the challenges it faced in the sport and
recreation sector, Aktive quickly made a meaningful impact; reducing complexity and
duplication, whilst increasing investment. It has also helped connect new parts of the
broader sector under a unifying vision and aligned plans, amplified Auckland’s shared
voice and brought practical resources to problems faced across the region.
Momentum is building as Aktive’s reputation for regional leadership, strategic planning
and advocacy grows among the various stakeholders with a vested interest in the health
and physical wellbeing of New Zealand’s most populous region.
Auckland’s share of sport and recreation investment has grown for the second year in a row
with over $8 million put into the sector via our local delivery partners and our own regional
programmes. Aktive has attracted three quality corporate partners – Fairfax Media, Simpson
Grierson and Holden – and the contributions from key partners like the New Zealand
Community Trust, Foundation North and Sport New Zealand have reached record levels.
Aktive is also ensuring more efficient use of those funds, freeing up savings in back office
costs which can be ploughed back into grassroots projects. We provided over $450,000
of realisable savings in 2014/15 with eight regional and national sporting organisations
taking advantage of the shared services model whilst an ambitious target of $1 million of
savings by the end of 2017 has been set.
The reach of already-successful local programmes has been extended, in some cases,
by adoption of those programmes by other regional sports trusts (RSTs) and, in other cases,
by the absorption of programmes like the Greater Auckland Aquatic Action Plan into Aktive;
following in the footsteps of the Greater Auckland Coaching Unit (now Aktive Coaching
and Talent Development) before it. Aktive has in turn rolled out new initiatives across
the whole region.
MOVE
This region-wide view is keenly appreciated at the strategic level where Aktive has
led the response to Sport New Zealand’s Community Sport Strategy and Auckland Council’s
Unitary Plan. Aktive has also been a strong and valued advocate for sporting organisations
and communities in Auckland, opening the right doors and sitting around the right tables
to ensure our shared voice is heard.
That the Aktive concept has started to deliver on the promises of a unified voice, increased
investment, collective savings and new region-wide benefits has helped oil the machine as
the Aktive-led push towards making Auckland the world’s most active city gains momentum.