Sport Inclusion CoP: TMA diversity and inclusion funding outcomes

Welcome to the first Sport Inclusion Community of Practice (CoP) back!
Including presentations from the sector will be short and sharp sharing the population group, geographic area people are working in and the population group in focus.
The CoP will be followed by the Balloon Football Allstars game at MSAC where networking can occur in between raucous cheering.
Speakers
Nithya Soloman
Vichealth
Women and Girls – multiple sports and activities
Nithya leads VicHealth’s Innovation Office, which trials the application of approaches like behavioural insights and citizen engagement to create healthier lives. Her global leadership experience includes 10 years at Nike, helping the organisation deliver on a range of diversity and inclusion objectives, such as philanthropy efforts targeting the economic empowerment of adolescent girls in poverty, and the Designed to Move movement to re-engineer physical activity back into daily lives. Nithya has been championing non-mainstream physical activity for women and girls for 20 years, as a performer and teacher of classical Indian dance.
Nithya will share two current examples of VicHealth’s work using behavioural insights strategies to make it easier for women and girls to be physically active.
Jye Yates and Tom Dixon
Balloon Football – Scope – AFL – Vicsport
Multiple-complex conditions
Jye lives and breathes Balloon Football. He was a founding member of the Bendigo league 7 years ago and has become a leader in the sport of BFL across Victoria.
During the 7 years Jye has been integral to the growth of the league. He has been voted Best and Fairest player every year, has been selected to represent Bendigo at State level competitions, mentors new players, is a qualified umpire, team captain and manager.
Jye has also been coaching junior players for 2 years and is a great role model for young people with disability.
Caitlin Grigsby
Gippsland Pride Initiative, Roller Derby
LGBTQI and broad inclusion
Caitlin is a founder of the Gippsland Pride Initiative and President of Gippsland Ranges Roller Derby League. With nearly fifteen years experience in community, advocacy and non for profit groups, Caitlin has been active in womens and LGBTQI inclusion for some time, in and outside of sport. Caitlin will speak about the diversity and outcomes of participating in Roller Derby, and in particular, the efforts of this small Gippsland club in 2019 to effect wide reaching impact in the Gippsland area of Victoria.
If you don't already love Roller Derby have watch this video and read the corresponding story and I think you will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5m8SCT4Kic&feature=youtu.be
https://vicsport.com.au/blog/1409/roller-derby-changed-my-life
Kade Matthews
Southern Lights, Ice Hockey
LGBTQI+
Kade is a founder of Australian LGBT Ice Hockey and it's Melbourne based team, the Southern Lights. Having been involved in ice hockey for a number of years as an executive, club president and player, he's been championing inclusion and diversity throughout the sport by getting involved personally with all abilities, women’s and LGBT programs.
The presentation will focus on recently research released by Monash University on homophobia in Australian sport, in particular ice hockey and how the Australian LGBT Ice Hockey programs have both overcome criticism and how they are building a fully inclusive and diverse community in the sport for the future.
Gretta Connell
Cycling, Leisure Networks, La Trobe University
Autism
Gretta will present a Vichealth funded program led by Leisure Networks that will encourage people with autism to learn bike safety through an education program, to help them to gain confidence and become active within their community. Also the program will nurture a social/friendship network for the families, where they can lend each other support and share ideas. Pedal Power will encourage social connection and physical activity, delivered in partnership with Cycling Victoria and the Geelong Cycling Club.
Rachel Toovey
The Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne
Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Intellectual Disability
Rachel will present a program delivered through the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service and Monash Children's Hospital that supports intensive teaching of bike riding skills for children with cerebral palsy. As part of Rachel's PhD, she has delivered the program to 62 children comparing the clinical program to home practice with parents.
Michaela Cook
Hockey Victoria and Emergency Services
Intellectual Disability
Michaela will present information related to the recently completed Emergency Services tournament. The tournament has been designed to introduce emergency services workers to people with intellectual disability in a safe and fun environment. Michaela will present what has been learned to date and what the vision is for the future.
Sport Inclusion CoP TMA diversity and inclusion funding outcomes slides