Media release
For immediate release 31 January 2011

Yardstick Measures Up Internationally

Ten years have passed since the establishment of Yardstick™ in 2001. The initial concept and methodology, created by Chris Rutherford, was further developed by a group of parks’ professionals with a small grant from SPARC. Following the project’s establishment and initial growth, it was transferred to the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA). The Yardstick project is now operated by NZRA and Project Managers Xyst Ltd. It is a benchmarking project, created in New Zealand, and focussed on parks and open spaces, pools and leisure facilities. It is a New Zealand owned business improvement initiative developed by those in the industry to ensure that benchmarking is effectively conducted across the parks and recreation sectors with accurate and detailed results.

By collecting and comparing a range of information relating to the provision of services, cost of service provision, asset management processes and planning and policy information, Yardstick enables its members to make comparisons against other similar businesses’ provisions and operation. In addition, Yardstick provides an annual benchmarked customer survey of park and facility users which measures users’ expectations against levels of satisfaction. The Yardstick group of projects has been widely adopted by New Zealand’s local government sector - over half of all councils in New Zealand are members of Yardstick, as well as the Department of Conservation.

International Growth
More recently, the project has grown internationally. Membership now also includes organisations throughout Australia, South Africa, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Canada. In 2010 Yardstick made big marks internationally as the Yardstick Parkcheck Visitor Survey was run in Norway for the first time with the results published in both English and Norwegian.

Yardstick has 93 Parks members and 42 Pools members across the world. In 2011, it is looking increasingly likely that participation from Switzerland and Ireland will also eventuate.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) have supported the growth of the project into the international market with funding assistance over the past three years. NZTE recognise that one of New Zealand's major strengths and exports is its knowledge and "can do" attitude. For that reason, NZTE, through a 50-50 funding arrangement with Xyst Ltd (project managers), have provided the much-needed backing to expand the project internationally in what would otherwise be financially inaccessible markets.

Over the past 10 years, through the effort and commitment of Yardstick’s initial members, as well as the support of NZTE, NZRA, and others, Yardstick has grown into a successful international product. 2011 promises more international growth for this locally-owned project, proving that Kiwis really can work together to develop world beating products.

ENDS

About NZRA
NZRA is a not-for-profit industry organisation committed to promoting recreation and providing professional services to the recreation sector. The sectors that NZRA represents include public swimming pools, parks and open spaces, recreation facilities and recreation programmes. Our vision is that recreation is vital to the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

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