RYA CONNECTED CONFERENCES

Connecting the community to grow our sport

We all want to bring the joy of sailing and being on the water to as many people as possible but that doesn't come without its challenges. Clubs, classes and charitable endeavours all rely on dedicated individuals like you to find solutions to get people out on the water. 

That's why we are inviting you to the RYA Connected Conferences. 

Held at venues across the UK in November, the RYA Connected Conferences are FREE for RYA affiliates.

The annual events bring us together as a community so we can learn from and energise each other. These conferences, available to attend in-person in venues close to you, are the perfect place to share what works and to hear from others who have turned familiar challenges into opportunities.  

Whether you're currently involved in the leadership or governance of your organisation - or aspire to be in future - the conferences are your chance to learn from your peers and experts, and gather practical advice and inspiration to take back to your sailing organisation.

Creating a future-ready network

Our landscape is evolving. Expectations of members are changing, volunteers face increasing pressures, technology continues to transform how organisations operate and sustainability is becoming ever more important. 

The RYA Connected Conferences are designed to help affiliates navigate these changes together, sharing insight, ideas, solutions and inspiration so that our network is better prepared for the future. 

You shape the conversation 

The RYA Connected Conferences are shaped by the feedback from our attendees. The agenda and topics of discussion are decided by what you've told us you need.

Each regional event will also feature stories and case studies from clubs local to you and you'll have the chance to ask them questions - look at your local event booking page to find out more about the stories being shared this year.

What to expect

Morning plenary: Guest Speaker Giles Graham will share the latest Futures Research insights and explore how societal and demographic trends are changing our sport.
Forums: A chance to talk to others in a chaired environment around a specific topic.
Presentations: A chance to listen to an expert or another clubs story
Workshops: A longer session with a combination of presentation, activities, and discussion
Final plenary: Close the day by reconnecting, considering our next steps and sharing upcoming opportunities for you.

There's no other networking opportunity like this and – based upon your feedback – we've made more time available in the day for you to spend time informally catching up and sharing ideas with likeminded people.

To help you get the most out of your day, regional staff and volunteers from the RYA will also be available for you to meet with, as well as staff from HQ specialising in legal and governance, funding, safeguarding, Sailability, RYA Training and sustainability.

Find your local RYA Connected Conference 

All Connected events are FREE to attend for RYA affiliates.  

Many of our affiliates find they get most benefit from the RYA Connected Conferences by sending multiple members of your team along to learn as much as possible and spur each other into taking action back at your venue. Attendees may already be on your board or involved in your operations, or they may be interested in doing so in future - an RYA Connected Conference is an excellent way to get them started. 

There’s no limit to the number of people you can send, but please be aware that we expect these events to be fully booked so book now to avoid disappointment!