AusLeisure

Newly formed community recreation company, LARCAN, and Smart Connection Consultancy have commenced a strategic partnership.

LARCAN’s mission is to have more people actively engaged in physical activity regardless of age, location, ability, or gender. At the core of achieving this mission is undertaking significant and meaningful community and stakeholder engagement, understanding the community’s health profile and their needs as the population ages, and combining this with innovation and the most recent global trends.

LARCAN is owned and lead by Executive Directors Michelle Nolland and Brooke Atkins who collectively have over 40 years of experience.

Smart Connection Consultancy’s Managing Director Martin Sheppard is well known in the industry for his expertise in sports surfaces, sports strategies, recreation planning and procurement of community aquatic and leisure centres. Smart Connection Consultancy was the pioneer and is the driving force behind the National Sports Convention which brings together the industry in a manner that shares knowledge on how to support environments to encourage more people to be active, play, recreate and participate in community sport.

The partnership between LARCAN and Smart Connection Consultancy will ensure innovative community and stakeholder engagement methodologies, expert advice on sports and strategies, using the latest data to understand the health needs of the community and using widespread networks and knowledge to deliver new age thinking and planning that will serve future generations and help to improve the health of Australians.

Executive Directors of LARCAN, Michelle Nolland and Brooke Atkins are delighted with the announcement with Atkins stating “the opportunities for shared experience and knowledge in a large cross section of this industry is really exciting. Martin’s work speaks for itself, he is long thought of as the ‘go to guy’ and as a recreation expert and we feel our clients will benefit from the combination of Martin’s insights and skill set”.

Nolland added “we have long thought that to really activate more communities and individuals to participate in sport, physical activity, and recreation a new innovative approach is needed. Tailored options that will ensure a larger proportion of the community is active and connected is crucial to improve the health profile of Australians. Knowing Smart Connection Consultancy and LARCAN are aligned in values, vision and approach is truly exciting and I strongly believe this will lead to positive outcomes for the industry”.

Sheppard mirrors this enthusiasm for the new partnership and shares “It’s exciting to join forces with Michelle and Brooke to bring to the market a new way of thinking in the Australian consultancy offering.

“Embracing the latest community data-modelling tools with stakeholder consultation best practice will allow projects to focus on community outcomes and impacts. This new thinking allows for greater emphasis on connecting health and leisure, active ageing and specific cohorts such as young people, as well as facility best practice in embracing this holistic approach to the planning, and delivery of community services.”

To find out more information, go to either the LARCAN website or Smart Connection website or follow their LinkedIn pages.

Image from left: Brooke Atkins Executive Director LARCAN, Michelle Nolland Executive Director LARCAN, and Martin Sheppard Managing Director Smart Connection Consultancy

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