Participants Take On MISO

The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) conducted an Oceania Sports Education Programme (OSEP) Management In Sports Organisation (MISO) course which involved several National Federations (NFs) and FASANOC staff last week.  

The course was facilitated by Kiliati Enterprises at the Fiji Olympic House in Suva with the objective of building capacity and training sports administrators.

OSEP Mentor Talemo Waqa said during the week long course that administrators from Basketball, Rugby, Billiards and Snooker, Touch Rugby and Weightlifting were taught seven modules that included the structure of sport, effective meetings, financial management for clubs and national federations, marketing and sponsorship, event and facility management, club and federation governance and planning for development.

"What we hope that participants will take back with them to their individual NFs is understanding and knowledge on how becoming better administrators can improve and enhance the operations of the NF" he said.

"Many of our participants have a certain background that is beneficial to the NFs that includes financial officers who are treasurers in their NSO but at this MISO course they are learning something more."

Mr Waqa said participants were taught a holistic approach where by everything was connected in a NF.

Touch Federation Fiji Vice President (Central) Lanieta Lesuma Fatiaki said the key take away for her was the importance of communication.

"Also trying to provide a more organised structure within a federation and how to incorporate key facets to ensure that a NF runs smoothly," she said.

Lanieta said the course has provided a lot of practical instruments and tools and skills that will enable the administrators to work better for their NFs.

Basketball Fiji's Development Officer Kenneth Taliu said the course revealed a lot of information that he never knew about.

"One of the important things I can take away with me is the importance of knowing your role within the organisation," he said.

"Knowing your role and where you sit in an organisation and how you interact with others is important and could mean a smooth working organisation."

FASANOC's Finance Officer Kelvin Lakhan said the course would ensure that he would be better able to execute his duties on a national level.

"We have learnt so much over the week long course now it is the time to take what we learnt and to apply it to our working area," he said.

The course was a step towards ensuring that NF Strategic Plans were aligned to FASANOC's Strategic Plan for 2017 - 2021 and its vision to "Inspire the people of Fiji through sports excellence".

The course was also an important collaboration within the sporting community to build capacity and improve sports governance.  

Through such courses, in particular the OSEP pathway, FASANOC is working towards adopting a National Accreditation Scheme to use as a basis of selection for Team Management and Volunteers who serve Team Fiji to the Olympic Games, Pacific Games and Commonwealth Games.

The different types of courses provided by OSEP will provide a sound and consistent grounding to team management and officials who wish to officiate as athletes’ entourage, the important group of personnel who surround an athlete as he/she prepares to excel as a representative of Fiji.

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