Aquatic & Recreation Conference

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

CLOSES: 22nd May 2025

The Leisure Institute of Western Australia invite industry professionals, experts, and thought leaders to submit abstracts for presentation at the 2025 WA Aquatic & Recreation State Conference. This premier event brings together key stakeholders from across the industry including over 130 facilities and their teams to share insights, innovations, and best practices that shape the future of aquatic and recreation management.

This year’s conference will focus on the critical issues, emerging trends, and innovative solutions within the aquatic and recreation sectors.  Our industry have identified many high priority topics and prefence will be given to abstracts that respond to the key subject areas identified below.  

  TOPICS                        

RECREATION & FACILITY MANAGEMENT

1. Strategies to improve cost management and optimise facility revenue.
2. Operational effiencies and common mistakes
3. Technology and digital transformation in aquatic and recreation centres
4. Customer service excellence—creating a welcoming and engaging environment for all visitors.
5. Practical guidance to responding to anisocial behaviour
6. Effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain qualified staff.
7. Leadership development for facility managers and team leads.
8. Mental health and well-being initiatives to support staff in high-pressure environments.
9. Future-proofing the workforce in a changing industry - upskilling programs for lifeguards, swim instructors, and operational staff.
10. Equity, diversity, and inclusion in aquatic and recreation facilities.
11. Strategies for engaging underrepresented communities - disabilities, seniors, and marginalised communities.
12. Partnerships between facilities, schools, and community organisations.
13. Adaptive and accessible recreation and aquatic programs.
14. The role of aquatic and recreation facilities in public health.
15. Wellness, rehabilitation and therapeutic programs in aquatic and recreation settings.
16. Data-driven decision-making—how to leverage analytics to improve facility performance.

 FACILITY PLANNING

1. Facility design and construction – key stages and terminology.
2. Preparing a project plan. 
3. Strategic planning for your facility. How the decisions you make today effect your facility tomorrow.
4. Feasibility studies and business cases for new builds and capital improvements.
5. Business case for your project – the case for preparing. What it is and what information is needed.
6. Understanding stakeholder engagement – who needs to be involved and why they matter, understanding what the community needs.
7. Cost estimation and budgeting.
8. Funding and grants – where and how?
9. Sustainability – just what does this mean?  (eg geothermal projects, passive design solar and wind)
10. Functionality audits.
11. Access audits.
12. Aging infrastructure and options for the future.
13. Case studies for strategic planning projects, facility design and project management, energy and water use efficiencies, multi-purpose facilities and community hubs, facility renewals – major and minor, WA facility developments in the pipeline

SWIM SCHOOL

1. Managing parent expectations.
2. Communication and conflict resolution strategies.
3. Leadership in the industry - How to be an effective leader in the swim industry.
4. Delivery of training sessions - How to run effective and engaging sessions for all levels of experience.
5. Hearing from other successful swim schools, how are they running their programs.
6. Managing different abilities in classes.
7. Managing apprehension of students.
8. Creating a social story - How to utilise social media to your advantage.
9. Sign language - teaching basic knowledge that will be useful in swim lessons.
10. Teaching adult lessons - how they differ from children and how to do this effectively.
11. Use of play based learning to break down barriers and build trust with young students.
12. Junior Lifeguard Club - What is the program, how to run it effectively, what are the different pathways from this program.
13. How to incorporate safety/survival skills into weekly lessons.

TECHNICAL & OPERATIONS

1. Managing anti-social patron behavior.
2. Learning from the past - refining your emergency and incident response procedures.
3. OH&S and risk management trends.
4. Successes in sustainability - case studies and examples of what was expected and what was achieved.
5. Innovations in asset and facility management.
6. Planning for and promotion of non gender specific facilities.
7. Driving greater accessibility across aquatic facilities.
8. Continual development of Technical Skills.
9. Best practices in lifeguard supervision and vigilance.
10. Lifeguard engagement, scheduling, and shift design.
11. Asset and facility maintenance - run to fail v scheduled maintenance.
12. Advancements in plant room management and maintenance.
13. Western Australian Health Department updates.
14. Advanced first aid and VR/simulation training.
15. Water quality and sustainability practices.
16. Pool hygiene: promoting pre-swim showers, cleanliness, proper attire.
17. GSPO and Code of Practice updates.

Please submit abstracts by 22 May 2024 by completing the online form. Please direct any questions to eo@liwaaquatics.org.au