Under the new participation framework of Active Australia the Australian Sports Commission’s Participation Division is developing many new partnerships with sport, education, health and local government bodies to ensure that quality sport and recreation opportunities are provided for all Australians.
As the Active Australia initiative gains momentum around the country, local government authorities will have a number of opportunities to link in with the programmes and resources being developed by the Australian Sports Commission and other Active Australia partners. Several new projects which are of significance to local councils are detailed below.
- The Active Australia Provider Model has been developed by the sport and recreation industry to help community clubs look at how they operate and offers guidance on how they might improve operations. A self evaluation checklist guides clubs through the process by helping clubs evaluate their current procedures, operations and attitudes, identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan development activities. Councils are encouraged to consider the benefits of the Active Australia Provider Model for their community clubs. For more information on the model, telephone (02) 6214 1490.
- Harassment-free sport guidelines have been developed to provide practical assistance for administrators of sport and recreation organisations and other delivery agencies. The guidelines aim at ensuring everyone involved in sport and recreation can participate without interference from harassment in any of its many forms. The guidelines, which will be available from June, include explanations of legislative requirements, complaints procedures, model policies and strategies for implementing those policies. Guidelines have been developed for specific groups, including policy makers, athletes, coaches and sports administrators. To obtain copies of the guidelines, please contact the Australian Sports Commission’s Publications Centre on (02) 6214 1915.
- The Volunteer Involvement Programme (VIP) Club Administration Manual has been published primarily for administrators of clubs and organisations at the grass roots level to provide guidance in all areas associated with the establishment, administration and conduct of a sport and recreation club.
- A second valuable resource, Club Planning – An Easy Guide is an easy to read booklet explaining how and why clubs should plan for their development and provides information on the planning process for clubs at both regional and community levels. These VIP resources can be obtained by contacting (02) 6214 1915.
The August issue of Local Government FOCUS will include a supplement featuring a more detailed look at Active Australia and the various participation programmes of the Australian Sports Commission.
