JCI UK has been approached with a very exciting opportunity for JCI members all across the UK.

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is looking for potential board members for the various organisations it works with, people with experience from outside sports, to get involved and contribute positively on the boards of sport and recreational organisations across the UK.

Being a board member is a very rewarding experience, so read more to see what this all means.

Click here to download a flier from the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

What is the Sport and Recreation Alliance?

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is the umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK and represents more than 320 members - organisations like The FA, the Rugby Football Union, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Royal Academy of Dance . The role of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, like every trade association, is to speak up on their behalf, represent their views and to provide them with services which make their life easier.

What does the Sport and Recreation Alliance do?

The members are the governing bodies of sport and recreation. Their job is to run their sport or activity, promote participation and set the rules and conditions under which it takes place.

The job of  the Sport and Recreation Alliance is to make that job as easy as possible. THey represent their views to people who make decisions; promote the interests of sport and recreation so that as many people as possible know about their work;  campaign on issues affecting our members.

Board members for Sport

The project recruits professionals who are looking to put their valuable skills into sport and recreation organisations as a Board member.

On joining the project, the participant will be asked to complete a form which gives more details on the experiences and skills. They will receive invites to training courses, events and will be kept on a database so that when vacancies arise to be a Board member, they will be matched against any suitable vacancies using the information from the form when they joined the project. If they are matched, we will send them the specification and applicant process for each post, and it is then their decision whether they apply or not, none of their personal details will be given to recruiting organisations.

There will not be any need for the applicants to have played or been involved with the sport or recreation activity in the past, they are there to bring their professional skills. There are several requirements that will be put on sports organisations in the future to look to broaden their Board compositions, and we are running this project to assist them in doing this.

We believe that being a Board member is a rewarding experience, and that both parties benefit from the involvement of people like your members. We are also talking to companies such as Boots and Unilever about becoming involved in the project as a CSR concern.

What people say about getting involved:

Marzena Bogdanowicz - Director with responsibility for marketing- Volleyball England
Being a Board member provides a unique insight into the world of a National Governing Body that is trying to punch above its weight alongside the frontline sports of football, rugby and cricket. The additional pressures of administration and governance that is incumbent to those who are receivers of government and lottery funding opens a different world to that which most in private or other companies are used to. With the upcoming London, the growth of the NGB is critical in preparation for the added publicity it will receive. It is an honour and opportunity to be part of this wave of interest in Olympic sport.

Pauline Connington - Rounders England Elected Director
There's been so many fabulous developments, such as the new logo, the new website and the new head office. I'm proud to be a Rounders England board member and to make a contribution to the growth and development of Rounders England.

I read the appeal for Independent Board Directors on the Rounders England website in May 2009. I made tentative enquiries, showing my interest in the position and then completed the Skills Matrix forms. I was invited for interview and offered (and accepted) the position of Appointed Director at the Rounders England board meeting in July 2009. I felt that I had the skills necessary to make a contribution to the Rounders England board. I also knew that I would find the work varied, interesting and rewarding.

To get involved, email governance@sportandrecreation.org.uk