Living in a post-COVID world, the way we live, work, and play have changed dramatically. With venues such as leagues clubs, bowls clubs and RSLs looking for new and exciting ways to attract young people to their venues as patrons and employees, I had the pleasure of heading to the Clubs Australia National Summit in March to share my insights.
In this presentation, I had the pleasure of chatting with club managers from across the country about how they can engage with young people in today's digital world. We started by unpacking the rate of technology changed experienced by this generation, and how for most young people today the concept of a world without wifi and touch screen devices is not something that has ever crossed their mind.
From there, we started to look at what exactly it means to innovate. With the 'innovation' buzz word thrown around frequently these days, we unpacked what this word actually means, and came to understand that innovation isn't always expensive technology; sometimes the best innovations can be the simplest.
As the presentation drew to a close, we then shifted our focus to venues around the world such as hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and community hubs to see how these spaces are reimagining how people use a venue to connect.
Some key takeaways from this presentation included:
- Innovations Around The World: Organisations around the world are trying new things every day! Look abroad for inspiration.
- Localisation Is Key: Whilst it can be tempting to copy and paste a successful initiative from elsewhere, always think about your community and what they're looking for.
- Innovations Can Be Simple: Innovation doesn't always mean developing an app! Sometimes the best innovations can be the simplest.
After the presentation I had the pleasure of answering questions from the audience around the best digital platforms to engage young people, and how as employers, clubs can find new ways to attract, retain and grow top young talent from their community.
I can't wait to visit the clubs in my community to see how they are innovating and engaging young people in my local community, and I encourage you to do the same!