Free workshop to help local sporting clubs become more inclusive
Published on 09 June 2023
Mildura Rural City Council is partnering with Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council (SMECC), Welcoming Clubs and Aligned Leisure to host a free Sports Inclusion Workshop next week.
The workshop will cover how clubs can better understand and embrace diversity to increase membership, reinforcing their role in the community as safe, welcoming and inclusive places.
It will be facilitated by former Rugby Union star and Welcoming Clubs Manager Maia Tua-Davidson, and Danielle Hren, who is the Education Manager and Cultural Competency Coordinator at SMECC.
Aimed at club leaders, the workshop is open to multiple committee members, coaches, captains, managers or sports leaders to attend.
The workshop will be held at the Mildura Workers Bowls Club (176 Cureton Avenue) next Wednesday 14 June from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. A free dinner will be provided.
Councillor for Community Development and Gender Equity, Deputy Mayor Helen Healy, said the workshop was supported by Council’s Gendering in a New Era in Mildura Regional Sports program.
“This is a great initiative that will help sports clubs create more inclusive and diverse environments by learning how to apply an intersectional lens to their activities, systems and processes,” Cr Healy said.
“It is important and beneficial that clubs reflect the diversity in the communities they are a part of and I encourage leaders from all sporting clubs to take advantage of this free opportunity.”
To register for the event visit https://bit.ly/3MPF39T.
For more information email James Wilson on james.wilson@mildura.vic.gov.au or Emmie Dowling at sec@smecc.org.au
About the facilitators
Maia Tua-Davidson is a former New Zealand KiwiFern and New Zealand Rugby League Player of the Year and has played Rugby Union semi-professionally in Canada, England and Spain. She has been involved in Sport for Social Development programs in Kenya, Uganda and Laos.
Danielle Hren is the 2022 winner of the Victorian Learn Local Leadership Award for her innovative work developing an English conversation cafe at SMECC. She has a Master of Education (TESOL and Linguistics) from the University of Wollongong, and extensive experience supporting and teaching local refugees, asylum seekers and migrants at various organisations.
About Welcoming Clubs
Welcoming Clubs started in Brisbane in 2016 to support youth from refugee backgrounds to connect with their local communities through sports participation.
The program evolved in response to the community’s needs, and the focus shifted to supporting community and sporting clubs wishing to do the work themselves but felt they were ill-equipped.
Informed by young people's and their families experiences, Welcoming Clubs evolved to provide a framework for clubs, codes and organisations to plan and take action for a considered welcome and genuine inclusion.
ENDS