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Fair Access in Bayside

It's time for Fair Access in sport and active recreation

It's time for Fair Access

Bayside has an endorsed a gender equitable Fair Access Policy and Fair Access Action Plan.  The primary focus of our Policy and Action Plan provides the actions that Bayside will be taking in promoting equitable opportunities in the community focusing levelling the playing field for women and girls on and off the field. We will meet the Gender Equality Act 2020 and will work alongside community clubs, community participants and recreation patrons creating safe & fair environments. 

Bayside’s Fair Access Policy and Fair Access Action Plan has addressed the barriers experienced by women and girls in accessing and using community sports and recreation infrastructure which will support inclusive opportunities for the community. The Policy and Action Plan aligns with the Victorian Government’s framework led by the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation and Sport and Recreation Victoria. Council, community partnerships, community stakeholders and facility users of Council sites will progressively build both the capacity and capability to identify and eliminate systemic causes of gender inequities in community sports and active recreation. 

We want practical and cultural change to ensure everyone has access to the full health and wellbeing benefits that sport and active recreation can provide. Our commitment is to think critically about how our future policies, strategies, plans, infrastructure and services meet the diverse needs of women and girls in sport and active recreation to make things Fair.

View the PolicyView the Action Plan

 

Women & Girls Participation Facts

 

Women's sport participation has increase 220% over the last 10 years.* 

 

Female local sport club committee volunteers make up only 18% in Bayside* 

 

In 2022, Bayside was ranked number 1 for the highest participation rates in metropolitan region sitting at 25.4% of the population.

 

In 2023, Women and Girls participation made up 22% of Bayside's total participation rate.*

 

Girls sport participation has increased 77% over the last 10 years.*

 

41% of Women and Girls sport participants in Bayside play Soccer.*

*refers to only seasonal allocated sports: AFL, Soccer, Rugby, Baseball/Softball, Cricket, Athletics.

What's next

Gender Equity & Action Plan

  1. Gender Equity Training - Face-to-Face: To learn more about gender equity, start your club self-assessment to understand your baseline & come out with an Action Plan to set you up for success. We ask that at least 1 volunteer or club/playing member attends 1 session; however, we strongly encourage as many club members to do this together as possible so you don't leave it to 1 person and you can attend as many times as needed: 
  • When: Monday 12th August & Wednesday 21st August
  • Where: Bayside City Council 
  • Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
  • Who: Club Committee members/club players - All welcome
  • What: Gender Equity training, self-assessment, Action Plan Outcome, Networking
  • Register Here
  1. Gender Equity Training - Online: This is the same as the face-to-face session but we encourage you to attended as many sessions as your club requires. To learn more about gender equity, start your club self-assessment to understand your baseline & come out with an Action Plan to set you up for success. We ask that at least 1 volunteer or club/playing member attends 1 session; however, we strongly encourage as many club members to do this together as possible so you don't leave it to 1 person and you can attend as many times as needed: 
  • When: Monday 26th August
  • Where: Online 
  • Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
  • Who: Club Committee members/club players - All welcome
  • What: Gender Equity training, self-assessment, Action Plan Outcome, Networking
  • Register Here
Three young women playing netaball.

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Passionate about women & girls sport participation!

Sport and active recreation are a core part of our lives in Bayside. Everyone has the right to fully participate at any level (official, committee, socially etc.) and reach their full potential. Without this change, women and girls will continue to face unfair circumstances and experience more barriers to sport and recreation than men and boys. This creates an unequal playing field, and we want to make sure everyone experiences the joy, passion, health and wellbeing benefits of being part of sport and active recreation. Bayside has the chance to lead the country on this! 

The Fair Access Policy requires Council Facilities Users of community sporting and recreation facilities to be made available for everyone. Ultimately, this means that everyone in Bayside, should have fair and reasonable access to the ‘best’ training and game times as well as to social and change room facilities or the ability to feel safe whilst being active around Bayside.

  1. Community sports infrastructure and environments are genuinely welcoming, safe, and inclusive. 
  2. Women and girls can fully participate in all aspects of community sport and active recreation including as a player, coach, administrator, official, volunteer and spectator. 
  3. Women and girls will have equitable access to and use of community sport infrastructure: 
    1. of the best available and most convenient 
    2. at the best and most popular competition and training times and locations 
    3. to support existing and new participation opportunities, and a variety of sport.
  4. Women and girls should be equitably represented in leadership and governance roles.
  5. Encourage and support all user groups who access and use community sport infrastructure to understand, adopt and implement gender equitable access and use practices. 
  6. Prioritise access, use and support to all user groups who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to gender equitable access and use of allocated community sport infrastructure.

The Action Plan will enable Council to take steps towards a level playing field for women and girls in sport and active recreation. We do this so women and girls can fully participate in and enjoy all the benefits of what community sport right through to senior leadership roles has to offer. The purpose of the Fair Access Action Plan is to illustrate Councils responsibilities to ‘Change The Game’ in the community. Council will aim to work collaboratively alongside community sport and active recreation clubs, governing bodies, sports leagues and associations, and the broader community. Council is well positioned to implement the Action Plan that progresses gender equity.