All UCFB students are all invited to join us at Old Trafford on Wed 22^nd Oct for a conference in collaboration with Staywell Manchester that explores how to create and maintain a positive culture in all areas of a sporting organisation.

The key topics will appeal to all UCFB students at any stage of your study with panels on how to create a culture of safety through effective safeguarding, dealing with difficult situations and having difficult conversations to bring about positive change and the examining key ingredients of an effective workplace culture.

The conference breakout sessions will allow you to explore change, transformation and personal safety to help you become an important part of developing and enhancing a progressive and enriching workplace culture.

Our headline speaker provided by the League Managers Association will share their experience on how they helped create and maintain a positive culture across all areas of the football club in a high pressure environment.

Students will have the opportunity to network with both the panel guests and delegates from sporting organisations who will also in attendance.

9am – Arrival, registration and refreshments

9.30am -10.15am Panel: Creating a Culture of Safety

Learn from the expert panel guests on how to create a culture of safety in a sporting organisation and how to provide and manage safeguarding effectively (relates especially to coaching & business students) and how to deal with the subject matter in a sensitive and professional manner (relates especially to media and business students).  Confirmed guests include:

• Chris Dryland, Legal Director, Pinsent Masons
• Vicky Kloss, Straight Road Consultancy
• Andy Woodward, former professional footballer

10.20-11.10am breakout rooms – Choice of 1 from 2:

1. Readiness for Change: Identity, Change & Transitions

Explore how understanding your identity will aid and assist in effective change and transition through your working career and how you can help others with their transition through their working life.

2. Sport, Sexual Relations & Culture in the Digital Age – delivered by B5 Consultancy

Making a dangerous decision in the very temporary moment of a young adults life with the desire to impress or to fit in can have life changing consequences - the session engages in the challenges young people face in navigating relationships, image-sharing, and online culture.

11.10-12.00pm  Panel: Leadership Culture – Part 1 ‘Challenges’ - Having difficult conversations and navigating through challenging experiences 

Kofi Josephs, Professional British Basketball Player

Marc Williams, Epic Global Solutions and Former pro footballer

Stephen Robinson, Staywell Sport

12:00pm-12:45pm  Lunch 

12.45pm-12:55pm Employee ownership
Stephen Hadlow of Brabners Solicitors will talk about how to create effective business ownership models to increase employee satisfaction

12:55-1:15 Featured Speaker Fraser Franks Former professional footballer Fraser Franks will talk about his career in football and how his experiences and personal challenges have led to his involvement in creating, maintaining and shaping positive workplaces cultures in sport including football, rugby and cricket

1:30pm-2:15pm  

Guest Speaker: Ellen White MBE
Former England International & UEFA Euro 2022 Champion

Ellen White is England Women’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 52 goals in 113 appearances. A central figure in the Lionesses’ historic UEFA Euro 2022 victory, Ellen’s career has helped shape the modern culture of women’s football. Her insights into leadership, resilience, and team culture will offer a unique perspective on how sport can drive positive change.

*Timings and guests subject to change