Monday 27th June at Girdwood Community Hub, Belfast.
Sport contributes to the lives of many people in many ways. It can contribute to the health & well-being, socialisation and education of a society – as well as its domestic and global economic development. With that in mind it is essential that Sport itself adopts a multi-agency approach and is treated as a cross departmental solution to many of the challenges we face today – Unemployment, obesity, education, community division and many more. For too long Sport has been treated by Government as a silo issue – about participation only. We need to educate ourselves and inform our elected representatives to realise the full benefits of sport (both social & economic) by demonstrating how sport impacts our society and howwe can be part of a solution to these challenges.
Registration and refreshments from 6.30pm
Workshop One-7pm-8pm
“Cooperating Competitors and Developing the Business of Sport in Northern Ireland”
Workshop Two- 8pm-9pm
Effective lobbying and collaboration for Sport in Northern Ireland
The workshops will be delivered by NI Sports Forum Board Members Kelly McVeigh and Dr. Damian Gallagher who will be assisted by Dr Ricky Mitchell of Ulster University.
Kelly McVeigh: Kelly joined the board of the NI Sports Forum in 2015. Kelly is currently Account Manager with global communications firm Weber Shandwick NI, specialising in Public Affairs, PR and strategic communications. Prior to taking up her role with Weber Shandwick, Kelly spent a further three years with a Belfast based consultancy. Kelly also has experience working in an in-house Communications role with NIAMH (Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health).Kelly is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and a member of the Northern Ireland Government Affairs Group (NIGAG) and Association of Professional Political Consultants.Kelly spent a number of years playing camogie for her local GAA club, An Ríocht and still takes a keen interest and support in the club.
Dr Damian Gallagher: Dr Damian Gallagher joined the Board in May 2015. He is theMSc/PgDip Marketing Course Director in the Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Ulster University. His teaching and research interests are in research methodologies, small business marketing and the marketing of small sports clubs and he has published widely in leading marketing and small business journals. He is the currentExternal Examiner at the University of Portsmouth Business School and the University of the West of England (Bristol). In 2013-14 he was the Fulbright Northern Ireland Public Affairs Scholar based at the University of South Carolina’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management where his research explored the marketing management and strategic development of Minor league sports in the US. He is the current Chair of the Academy of Marketing Sports & Events Marketing Special Interest Group – the leading UK body for marketing researchers, educators and professionals.