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Clubs across Victoria are encouraged to apply for the latest round of VicHealth’s Active Club Grants, in an effort to get more women and girls involved in sport and increase social sport opportunities to help Victorians improve their physical health and mental wellbeing.

Social sport includes more flexible, fun and less-structured opportunities with a focus on social interaction, and less emphasis on performance, results and competition. Sporting programs can be modified to increase opportunities across different ages, disability, skill level, fitness level, lifestyle needs, or locations.

VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter encouraged local sports clubs to apply for the latest round of grants to help improve the health and wellbeing of local residents.

“Victorian community sporting clubs play a vital role in enabling people to play sport and keep physically healthy and mentally well,” Ms Rechter said.

“We’re proud to help clubs create more opportunities for women and girls as well as those who don’t normally participate in organised sport to try something new.

“With these Active Club Grants, Victoria’s local sport clubs will be able to provide a wider range of opportunities for everyone to get active. The grants will also provide more opportunities for people from disadvantaged communities to take part in sport.” 

Ms Rechter said that with less than a third of us getting enough physical activity to benefit our health it was critical that sporting clubs were supported to offer more opportunities to get people moving.

“Our research shows many Victorians are not fitting the recommended amount of physical activity into their week,” she said.

“Women’s participation in sport is still lower than men’s. There’s a number of reasons for this, including a lack of time and self-confidence, which means many women and girls find it hard to get active.

“We want to encourage community sports clubs to offer new flexible and social sports programs to make it easier for people to make sport and physical activity part of their everyday lives.

“I encourage local clubs who want to get more people involved in their sport to submit an application today.”

VicHealth Active Club Grants provide funding of up to $3,000 or up to $10,000 to community sport clubs to start up new social and modified sport programs, or to deliver new opportunities for women and girls to play sport.

Special consideration will be given to applications from clubs in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage and communities recovering from natural disasters.

Clubs should apply for the funding grants through the VicHealth website before round one closes at 4pm on Friday 2 March 2018. For further information or to apply visit https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/activeclub.

 

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Rachel Murphy, Senior Media Advisor, P 03 9667 1319 M 0435 761 732 E [email protected]