Belgravia Foundation would like to celebrate the work of Belgravia Leisure in their approach to community engagement and consultation. Belgravia Leisure operated venues are currently hosting Community Network Forums over the months of March and April this year.

Community Network Forum is a term Belgravia Leisure use to describe the event in which they welcome key community stakeholders to attend their venues to participate in discussions focused on how they can collectively support the community to ensure no one misses out on leisure, recreation, aquatics, sport and employment. They ask the very important question of “how can we better serve our communities to ensure no one misses out?”

The aim is to have an improved understanding of the community's needs, preferences and priorities and how Belgravia Leisure can partner on and co-design future initiatives and programs to create positive community outcomes.

The objectives of the Community Network Forum include:Collaborate with community groups and local champions by inviting them to Belgravia Leisure operated venues for a facilitated workshop​.

• Promote community awareness, specific to the region in which the forum is held.

• Foster collaboration, partnerships and referrals between local organisations, service providers, community groups, sporting clubs etc.​

• Discuss the needs, preferences and priorities of the local community, and the gaps in current programming. ​

• Co-design future projects​.

Collectively, Belgravia Leisure venues have connected with over 350 people representing a large array of local organisations, businesses, community groups, community sport and local champions. Data collection will help identify the most discussed topics ranging from mental health to employment opportunities, service accessibility to program affordability, youth to older adults and culturally diversity to First Nations People, and everything in between. This data becomes extremely valuable for future initiatives to best support the communities in which Belgravia Leisure operate.

This work expands across both Australia and New Zealand, and aligns to Belgravia Leisure’s 5 Year Access & Inclusion Plan. Belgravia Leisure chase the title of ‘world’s best practice in access and inclusion” and follow a structure guided by the 7 Pillars of Inclusion. Key staff members at each of Belgravia Leisure’s year-round operating venues, called Inclusion Coordinators, are pivotal to the success of the Community Network Forums. Their role is to be a bridge between the community and their associated leisure venue. They look, listen and advocate for the needs of the community, most often supporting groups that are under-represented.

Belgravia Leisure welcomes further ideas and suggestions from the local communities in which they operate to further support understanding of the local needs and current gaps in programs and services. Please contact Emma Lowe, National Access & Inclusion Coordinator on elowe@belgravialeisure.com.au if you would like to add to the conversation.