Adelaide United’s men’s and women’s squads have become the first participants of an innovative new program aimed at ensuring sporting clubs are safe, welcoming and respectful of females.
Born out of the groundswell of support for women’s sport at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Raiise program will see more than 50 community football and other sporting clubs across the state participate in free training and development workshops, designed to foster respectful club environments.
Adelaide United’s Isuzu UTE and Liberty A-League squads took part in a workshop and a presentation at Coopers Stadium on Tuesday.
“Adelaide United is proud to be the first participant in the Raiise program,” said Adelaide United CEO Nathan Kosmina.
“We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation and it is important that we constantly strive to foster an environment where our players, staff, volunteers and supporters feel valued and respected.
“Education plays a key role in this regard and we are excited to have launched the program with our A-League Men’s and Women’s squads this week.”
Created with input from both the domestic and family violence sector, and the recreation and sport sector, the Raiise program will be rolled out to sports clubs across metropolitan and regional areas.
The workshops will be delivered by gender equality and diversity champion Ross Wait of Gravitate Consulting with co-gendered facilitation.
“We want to work with sporting clubs to promote equal opportunities for both women and men and encourage the communities we work in to thrive,” Mr Wait said.
“The program aims to ensure the next generation of female champions can rise through the ranks with support and respect equal to their male counterparts, and that all women and girls can enjoy playing, coaching or administering sport.
“Raiise is on a mission to promote gender equality across the community and ultimately contribute to the reduction of violence against women and girls.”
The ground-breaking program is part of South Australia’s FIFA Women’s World Cup legacy plan and aims to ensure the next generation of female champions can rise through the ranks with support and respect equal to their male counterparts.
The workshops will engage and educate club boards, coaches, volunteers, players and parents on gender equality and respectful behaviours, as well as providing participants with the tools to be positive bystanders and role models.
“For women and girls to thrive in sport, they need more than new changerooms and pitches, they need respectful club environments where they are uplifted and inspired to succeed,” said Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Katrine Hildyard.
“This transformative program will revolutionise the landscape of sporting clubs from the community level to the professional by cultivating respect and gender equality both on and off the field.
“By engaging, educating, and equipping clubs with knowledge and tools to promote gender equality, we can make a positive difference in our community today and for generations to come.”
Clubs that participate in the training will benefit by learning more about:
- gender equality in sporting environments, including unconscious bias and how this influences our thoughts and actions.
- how to encourage positive bystander intervention and respectful behaviour
- effective communication and collaboration to foster a culture of respect, empathy and teamwork.
- the importance of diversity and inclusion within sporting clubs and the wider community.
To register your club for the Raiise program, head to www.raiise.com.au or by contacting by Charlotte Davis, charlotte@gravitateco.com.au, 0422 158 574.
