Helping More Women Thrive In Their Career In Sport

The Allan Labor Government is supporting women to take on more senior roles in the sport sector, with new grants to help women upskill and take their career from strength to strength.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence today announced that applications are now open for the Labor Government’s Change Our Game Professional Development Scholarships Program, with grants of up to $10,000 available for recipients across the state.

The program is making sure more women have the opportunities and support they need to build their career in the sport sector, with the grants backing women across all career stages - from those in the early years of their careers, returning from a career break such as parental leave, through to executives, and new or aspiring board members.

These tailored support streams include specialised skill development courses, a Next Generation Leaders stream which offers coaching for aspiring executives to map their career paths, develop their skills, and expand their industry networks.

A new Community Leaders stream will be a feature of this round of the program, supporting women volunteering or working in community sport and recreation to gain better access to professional development opportunities.

The program also offers a new dedicated Women with a Disability stream to support women with a disability living in regional Victoria that want to progress their career in the sector, while the Governance stream gives new or aspiring board directors the opportunity to complete a specialised sports governance course.

Past program participants include Ashleigh Humphries, who took part in the Next Generation Leaders stream and has since taken up a role as Head of Club Projects at Richmond Football Club, and Amy Welsh, who participated in the Learning stream and has since stepped into the position of Affiliate Support Manager at Hockey Victoria.

Since beginning in 2018, more than 500 women have been supported through Government’s Change Our Game professional development programs.

Applications close Monday, 26 August 2024. For more information and details on eligibility and how to apply, visit changeourgame.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence

“We’re focused on leveling the playing field for women leaders in sport by providing professional development opportunities to advance their careers.”

“This program supports women to develop skills and career pathways to thrive in leadership roles across sport.”

Quote attributable to Director of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation Sarah Styles

“Through this program, we continue to remove barriers to accessing professional development opportunities for women in sport, supporting expanded networks and future career success.”