By David Nagel
Officer City Football Club is one of many community sport and recreation organisations from around the state to benefit from funding to help level the playing field for females in sport.
A total of 86 clubs from around Victoria have been successful in receiving a Change Our Game Community Activation Grant, with $430,000 being distributed across the board.
State Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale announced that Officer City Football Club will receive $6500 to bring together, along with Cardinia Council, representatives from local sporting communities to share ideas and showcase achievements in increasing female participation.
Presentations from inspirational female leaders in sport will benchmark best practices for inclusion and empower clubs to improve gender equality.
Applications for this round broke Change Our Game records with more than $1.1milion worth of submissions registered, reinforcing the demand in providing programs that celebrate and showcase women and girls in all levels of sport and recreation.
This round offered three streams of funding to support clubs in driving participation, providing organisational training and development, and to showcase women and girls’ achievements.
Successful grants in this round range from come-and-try days and leadership workshops, through to gala dinners and awards nights, all designed to inspire the next generation of leaders in sport and active recreation.
Since 2017, more than 380 Change Our Game grants have been awarded and this work will continue following the recent 2021-22 Victorian State budget announcement of $11.6 million to fund the continuation of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation.
Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence said the importance of sport in the community should not be underestimated.
“Community sport plays a vital role in uniting our communities and driving positive social change,” Ms Spence said.
“The Change Our Game initiative is providing opportunities for Victorian women and girls to lead on and off the field.”
Director of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation Sarah Styles said support suggested that the demand for activity in this space was high.
“The record-breaking demand for the Change Our Game Community Activation Grants is some of the strongest evidence yet of the wholesale support for gender equality in community sport across Victoria,” Ms Styles said.
State Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale was excited by the benefits that the grants could bring to both the Officer City Football Club and the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club, who also received the grant.
“Such great news for Officer City Football Club and Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club – congratulations to both clubs for their commitment and passion to being leaders in our community,” Ms Crugnale said.
“I look forward to seeing even more women and girls in our community get active and involved in grassroots sport.”
For more information about the Change Our Game programs, visit www.changeourgame.vic.gov.au
