Deep Dive: GM Moving Conference 2024

By GM Moving | 07 July 2024 | TAGS: Local Pilot, Evaluation, "Research and learning"

From the evaluation and learning report in March 2023, most effective cross-sector working observed so far has been 1+1, that is, physical activity and health, or physical activity and social work. Within these broad sector areas, ‘partnering’ may be on multiple fronts. 

Participants explained that what is not seen is often what makes the difference to effective change. Those involved in GM Moving may spend months and years building relationships and trust, supporting colleagues in different sectors to take a lead on physical activity, standing up for one another at critical moments when funding decisions are being made, doing the work in developing the insight and/or gathering the data to build a business case. These contribute to ‘tipping points’ where policy and practice can change.  

Multiple interviews across localities and at different levels of influence highlighted that on some occasions effective cross-sector working may not even be about enabling physical activity in the first instance. Locally, this work is justified if there is a ‘line of sight’ to physical activity, or, if part of the interaction includes activity, then ‘physical activity by stealth’.  

Across many places, however, observations highlighted that blossoming networks reach a sticking point, where new relationships and connections were not being converted into meaningful and productive partnership working around a common goal. This may explain the slower progress observed in the survey results.  

Multiple explanations for this were raised in sense-making sessions, but an overarching pattern was that many work structures do not allow for innovative operating models that would allow different partners to ‘co-own’ projects, ideas became itemised with individuals owning them, and individuals’ allegiance was, for the most part, still with their employer and organisational objectives over trying new ideas (see transforming governance and processes).  

In other settings, the lack of movement was attributed to the very breadth of interests represented, creating confusion and or competition about what should take priority. Furthermore, where there is no precedent for how collaborative or place-based working may operate, it is hard for groups to envision an alternative future which has led strategic stakeholders to consider how to employ design-led approaches. 

GM Moving conference sign ups 

The GM moving conference this year (2024) provided a great opportunity for leaders from various sectors to come together. With a record number of 1032 sign ups, this year's conference surpassed the previous high of 400 held in 2021 by a long way, and it felt that way with over 30 partner stalls, over 170 contributors to panels and workshops and speakers and 9 active sessions on offer throughout the day.1  

Figure 35: GM Moving conference sign ups & sector, 2017-2024 (%)  

Note: number of attendees: 2017: 92; 2019: 197; 2021: 400; 2023: 300; 2024:1032 

In comparison to last year, 732 more people signed up than last year (1032 from 300), a 244% increase. Of that increase, we saw an uptake in those in the voluntary and community sector, going from 17.7% to 21.8%, as well as those in public health, going from 12 to 13.8%. Whilst those in Sport and leisure saw a decrease in terms of overall representation of the total, 254 people from that sector signed up in comparison to last year – still an increase in terms of the number of signups.  

Figure 36: GM Moving conference sign ups by sector, 2017 – 2024 (counts) 

Figure 36 illustrates how the counts of the sign ups at the GM Moving conference have varied over the years by sector. Broadly speaking, there has been an increase across all areas, which is a positive, reinforced by the overall high sign up count mentioned in the previous section. The most rises in comparison to last year’s data can be seen in the sport and leisure sector, with a 184% increase in the number of signups (392 in 2024). Public Health and the Voluntary/community sectors also saw significant increases in numbers, both hitting triple figures in sign up numbers this year for the first time. The one area that seems to stand out the most in terms of signups is Transport, with significantly less representation than the other categories. There may be a topic to explore in terms of the lack of signups from individuals within that sector, and how more of those relationships can be formed. 

Overall, the most recent data shows slight diversification on behalf of GM: the percentage of Sport and Leisure decreased while the other sectors increased. The next steps would be to build on that growth and targeted broadening of relationships, and potentially understand what proportion of each sector is being reached at a more granular level.  

More on the GM Moving Conference including sessions, learnings and reflections here.