Insight: Issue 111 | 09 Nov

The sitch this week…

The incessant noise of dogs barking, cats hissing, and thunderous fireworks still ringing in your ears? We can cure that no problem – with the soothing sounds of the latest happenings in the events industry.

In the week where we eagerly await Matt Hancock eating Kangaroo testicles, here’s what’s happening in the event jungle; Figen Murray calls on events industry to help push Government to progress protect duty; Net Zero Carbon Events to launch roadmap at COP27; Hands-on training essential for live events careers; and Staying balanced: wellness in exhibitions.

Figen Murray calls on events industry to help push Government to progress protect duty

Martyn’s Law campaigner Figen Murray has called on the event industry to band together and force the government to implement change. The mother of Martyn Hett, one of 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attacks, is pushing the government for urgency on the bill – also known as Protect Duty – which would see the bolstering of effective anti-terrorism measures implemented in publicly accessible facilities across the UK.

Recently appointed minister for security, Tom Tugendhat has stated that the government is bringing forward a draft of the Protect Duty bill this session. However, this may mean that it could be Spring 2023 until it is issued.

In a rallying cry to the industry for action and support, Figen Murray says:

“I have become a figurehead for this, which is something I didn’t expect when I started the petition all those years ago, but just being the figurehead is not enough. The time has now come for change. I need the industry to start becoming vocal, not just me, I need the industry to say to Government, ‘stop messing around, we need this legislation”.

Net Zero Carbon Events to launch roadmap at COP27

Arranged with the support of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is launching it’s roadmap at COP27 this November 11th.

The roadmap will provide a common framework that event industry stakeholders across the board can use to meet their net zero goal. As well as strategy for measuring and evaluating progress, the map also includes action areas that highlight the need for collaborative effort.

Free at 10am local time in Egypt (8am here)? The launch is available to stream live! Word round the eco-friendly campfire is that it will include presentations, panel discussions and Q&A sessions, with industry head honchos such as James Rees, JMIC president Monica Lee Muller, and managing director HKCEC on the bill.

BWT – registration is still open for the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative, with pledges from over 400 organisations and counting…

Hands-on training essential for live events careers

With the constant evolution of live events and creative industries, the need for new, highly trained individuals increases along side it. The sector is seeing a huge demand for graduates with transferable workplace skills, and with students more eager than ever to gain hands-on, practice-oriented training, with the focus on solely theoretical based teaching is losing it’s appeal.

Rachel Nicholson, Head of Institution at Backstage Academy sees this as a step forward, and gives us some insight into the benefits of skills-based education for careers in the live events and creative industries.

We’ll break a few of these down for you (have a ganders at the article for the full lowdown)

• Immersive experience; enables students to see for themselves what a typical day in the industry might look like, with the opportunity to explore, experiment and learn on the job
• Students can learn through job specific tasks, under the supervision and mentoring of industry leading professionals
• Familiarity and experience with the tools and workplace environment allows for seamless transition into the industry

Nicholson is the head of Yorkshire based Backstage Academy; an institution that offers students an immersive based approach to industry education, with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, short courses, and bespoke training programmes designed with practice-orientated training.

Staying balanced: wellness in exhibitions

In an interview with Catie Owen, Laura Capell-Abra, founder of UK-based Stress Matters discusses how exhibition professionals can reinforce their mental health.

With 28% of UK employees leaving their job in 2021 and 61% citing mental health is the main reason, Capell-Abra suggests that it’s time for the industry to properly address the issue. Through their approach to metal health and well-being, business’ can go ways to ensure talent attraction, retention and overall employee satisfaction.

With the introduction of resources like the Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) and Wellbeing Manager programme, the industry is making strides in helping business’ in their understanding and support of it’s employees’ welfare. UK-based organisation Stress Matters has also launched Thrive not Survive, a framework which puts together five core areas of well-being that each individual, team and business can develop.

Capell-Abra gives some guidance to the industry;

“There is a varying level of stigma and understanding whether individuals feel comfortable sharing their current mental health is a great starting point. Identify what resources are available to individuals as there is a great range of quality and accessibility challenges that they could be signposted to.”

We’ll call it a day for this week guys and gals….

Have a good yin, and we’ll catch y’all next week for some more events.