Program to promote gender equality in sport launches next iteration

THE third iteration of a program to progress gender equality and promote respect within local football and netball clubs and communities has now begun.

Respect Starts Here is a partnership between AFL Barwon and The Sexual Assault & Family Violence (SAFV) Centre for clubs in the Barwon region, which are all working towards a shared goal of creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive club that supports all its members to thrive in their sport and their communities.

The program originally started as a pilot at Geelong West Giants Football Netball Club in 2022, reaching 233 players and coaches.

Participant and Giants chair Sarah Naylor is a strong advocate for Respect Starts Here, and said any club in the Barwon region would “benefit immensely from taking part in the program”.

Naylor has found the program to be beneficial for her club, positively affecting the behaviour and attitudes of players and members.

The program has evolved since the initial pilot, with AFL Barwon clubs now offered a choice between two streams.

The introductory stream, “Getting Started”, supports clubs who are in the foundational stages of exploring what gender equality means for them.

The second stream, “All In”, is suited for clubs that are ready and have capacity to, as the name suggests, go all in.

Both streams help clubs to identify goals and actions to support gender equality and build on the capacity of members to stand up for equality and respect within the club.

Ocean Grove Football Netball Club (OGFNC) took part in “All In” over the 2023 season, resulting in several positive actions, such as the appointment of a club culture and wellbeing team.

The program had a powerful impact on the club’s action group, whose members expressed feeling more “switched on” at the club when it came to recognising how things could be improved and done more inclusively.

Illustrating the importance of gender equality and education for sports, an OGFNC club participant who attended the Active Bystander Workshop said “it matters in every setting, and by making a stance and educating people, we can work towards building a society that respects everyone”.

The Respect Starts Here Program has reached more than 420 club participants over the first two years and is set to expand in 2024, thanks to the support of the Geelong Community Foundation.

This year’s iteration was launched yesterday (Monday, May 6) at Geelong West Football Netball Club, where it was announced six AFL Barwon clubs would begin participating in one of the two streams of the program this year.

Geelong West Giants, Drysdale and Newcomb will be in the “All In” program, with Portarlington, Bell Park, and St Albans taking part in the “Getting Started” stream.

AFL Barwon staff will also be taking part in the Respect Starts Here Program this season.

AFL Barwon chair Michelle Gerdtz congratulated the clubs involved in the program.

“The Respect Starts Here program is of vital importance, now more than ever before. We simply cannot accept the rates of violence against women,” she said.

Gerdtz also noted sporting clubs were seen as a safe space and were “an ideal setting to foster wellbeing, connectedness, and openness”.

Gerdtz encouraged everyone to “remember that preventing violence against women is everyone’s responsibility”.

AFL Barwon Region general manager Edward Wilson pointed out the importance of AFL Barwon’s partnership with The SAFV Centre.

“AFL Barwon is proud to share a long-term community partnership with The SAFV Centre, who are an important community leader in driving needed change.

“The Respect Starts Here program is a significant community engagement every year, to ensure members of our affiliated Football Netball Clubs, are respectful members of the community, who can also drive this needed change.”

The SAFV Centre and AFL Barwon are both encouraging any other clubs looking to participate in the Respect Starts Here program to register their interest by heading to safvcentre.org.au/our-services/primary-prevention/primary-prevention-projects/respect-starts-here-football-and-netball-clubs