Become a safe and inclusive sport champion
Published: 4 September 2024A new Victorian Government resource is helping clubs become champions when it comes to creating respectful and safe sporting environments where gender equality is actively promoted, and gender stereotypes are challenged.
The Safe and Inclusive Sport: Preventing Gender-Based Violence Guide is supporting gender equity and further action to prevent gender-based violence through community sport.
Sport is an influential platform that can drive social change by fostering inclusion and role modelling gender equality and respect.
The new Guide includes a range of practical tools and strategies to support local clubs, leagues and associations address gender equity and the prevention of gender-based violence.
There are also a range of real-life examples of Victorian Government backed partnerships and projects in the Guide that are driving cultural change and contributing to the prevention of gender-based violence in workplace and sport settings.
This includes the work of GenWest in partnership with the Western Bulldogs Football Club, the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, Women’s Health Grampians, and the Western Football Netball League to run a community education campaign called 'Champions of the West’.
The campaign is levelling the playing field for women, girls, and gender-diverse footy players, and champions respectful relationships and the prevention of gender-based violence.
The GenWest led initiative is one of 12 community-based sporting projects across the state recently backed by a $1.2 million boost to the Victorian Government’s Preventing Violence Through Sports Grants program.
The Guide also supports the delivery of Victoria’s ground-breaking family violence prevention strategy Free From Violence, which identifies sport as a key setting to lead action on respect, gender equality and preventing gender-based violence.
For more information about the guide visit Safe and Inclusive Sport.