Participation leaders from more than 65 sports have attended the Australian Sports Commission’s (ASC) annual Participation Leaders Conference.
More than 120 participants from national sporting organisations (NSOs), national sporting organisations for people with disability (NSODs) and State and Territory Agencies of Sport and Recreation (STASR) met at Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre for the two-day event.
It was the first time NSO and NSOD Participation Leads have come together since the launch of Play Well, Australia’s first National Sport Participation Strategy.The conference kicked off with a keynote address from Paralympian and lawyer Annabelle Williams who ran a masterclass on empowering a growth mindset through grit and determination.
“I love attending these conferences as it provides the opportunity to learn from experts and connect with our fellow sports in a really proactive environment,” General Manager Participation at Swimming Australia Matthew Simpson said.
“It is really empowering to be part of the journey as we strive to improve participation in Australia.”
Members of the Play Well Leadership Group and sporting organisations also discussed how the Play Well Strategy is progressing six months on, and the role of participation planning.
National Lead of Sport Development at Squash Australia Shaun McEachin, who is also involved in the Play Well Strategy as a project squad member, said the conference was the best one he’s attended yet.
“It provided us with key takeaways that we can use immediately to improve our skills and perform our roles,” he said.
Other topics covered included data strategies, behavioural insights, participation strategy development, storytelling and a First Nations yarning session.
