Study Leisure Management at Home to develop specialised skills for business or career.
This proficiency award is aimed at the leisure or fitness industry professional who is looking to upgrade their skills. Perfect for someone:
- To upskill for a new job role
- For professional development
- To gain continuing professional development (please check with relevant body first)
- To broaden the scope of their skill set
- To be able to offer new services to clients
- To start a new career direction or career advancement
Course Content
Elective Modules
In addition to the core modules, students study any 3 of the following modules.
Note that each module in the Proficiency Award in Leisure Management is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
WORKING IN THE RECREATION OR LEISURE INDUSTRY
Recreation facility management is an area of work which requires great accountability and dependability, and roles and responsibilities may vary widely according to the facilities.
Consider:
- What work tasks are involved
- What types of facilities are included.
Facilities can include buildings, playing fields (or other outdoor sites) and specific equipment. They can also include ancillary requirements such as toilets, car parks, kitchens, showers, changing rooms, and so forth.
This course is concerned with the broad scope of facilities used in recreation, planning and design concerns, understanding aspects of those facilities which may be important to their management and maintenance, and beginning to develop management skills which are applicable to a range of different types of leisure facility.
The vast majority of leisure facilities are provided by local and national governments, with the minority being in private ownership. It is intended that those involved, or planning to become involved, in either setting will find this course beneficial.
Recreation Services
Some of the main areas where recreation services are provided are:
- Community
- Religion
- Youth
- Therapy
- Industry
- Culture
- Armed Forces
- Community Recreation Services
Examples of community recreation services include:
- Children’s playgrounds (supervised & unsupervised)
- Children's camps
- After school & holiday play programmes
- Teenage Meeting Places - Skate parks, coffee shops, drop‑in centres
- Organised sports programmes
- Hobby or adult education courses
- Organised community service projects
- Meeting places for clubs & special interest groups
- Community celebrations & festivals
- Swimming, tennis, golf, gymnasium facilities
- Organised exercise programs.
Exercise Facilities
Exercise facilities are provided in a variety of different types of recreation locations. Health clubs or fitness centres commonly provide a variety of facilities for exercise activities including:
Gymnasium equipment
Rooms for aerobics, step, stretch, tai chi, dancing, and other classes.
Pools for water aerobics, deep water running, swim training, etc.
Exercise facilities may also be provided outdoors in the form of fun and fitness trails, areas for outdoor classes, fitness centres, running tracks, sports fields etc.
PLANNING
Planning is an integral part of leisure facility management. Any leisure facility has to be economically viable - governments or private owners will not perpetually plough money into something which is not profitable. Therefore, planning is used at different stages in the conceptualisation, design, and management of facilities to try and ensure future success.
Where a new facility is being considered, planning is involved in each stage. The process typically includes a 'needs assessment' to determine if there is a need for the facility in the community. If the answer is 'yes' then a feasibility study is undertaken to determine the risks and financial viability. Again, if the result is favourable then this is followed by design, construction and ultimately, evaluation. The same process can be applied to renovating an existing facility.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
A needs assessment is undertaken to determine if there is an actual need by the community for a proposed facility. The need, or not as the case may be, is determined through gathering information from a variety of different sources.
The needs assessment will determine:
- The facility is accessible and special needs are catered for.
- The facility is sustainable now and into the future.
- That the needs of the community are being met in the most appropriate way.
That resources are used in the most effective way.
Getting the community involved in the needs assessment will also help to assure that they feel they are part of the process and that they have a sense of ownership. It will also make them aware of the cost of building the facility as well as the costs involved with everyday operations before the facility is constructed, or modernised.
The length of the needs assessment study will depend upon the facility or service which is being proposed. A brand new multipurpose facility will require a much more in depth needs assessment than providing floodlighting to a soccer pitch.
COMPONENTS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The needs assessment can be broken down as follows:
1) Purpose
Clearly define the purpose for the assessment and objectives.
2) Study Briefs
Identify tasks which must be done to satisfy objectives e.g. reason for study, purpose and objectives, amount of community involvement, timing of study, estimated costs, financial help, planned facilities and services, availability of information.
3) Extent of Assessment
This will be determined by things like the size of the proposed development, its location, demographics, environmental issues, local government legislation.
4) Resources
This refers to finances needed to complete the study in terms of fees for consultants, cost of information e.g. statistics, community consultations.
5) Who Should Complete the Study
Decide who is going to undertake the study. This may be a planner, contractor, or team in a local government office, or it could be outsourced to consultants, community representatives, or university researchers. It many cases it will be a combination of people.
Why Study this Course?
This course is aimed at people who are currently working in the leisure industry, or have experience working in the industry. It is an ideal course for professional development in the leisure and recreation industry and for those looking to qualify their knowledge and skills with relevant study.
