Sport & Gender Equality in Melbourne’s East
Community of Practice Series

Advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence through sport and recreation

Women’s Health East, through the Together for Equality and Respect (TFER) partnership, is hosting a free two-part online Community of Practice series exploring the role of sport and recreation in advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence.

At a time of heightened public attention on gender inequality, sexual violence and harmful cultures within sport, these conversations are both timely and necessary. The series will support practitioners to translate this attention into informed, practical and sustained action across sporting and recreation settings.

The sessions are designed for practitioners working across sport and recreation settings, particularly those who work with or support local sporting clubs and active recreation settings.

Across the two sessions, participants will:

  • explore the evidence base and role of sport in advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence
  • hear from practitioners and organisations working across the region and statewide
  • explore current initiatives, programs and case studies from sporting and recreation settings
  • hear about lessons learned, challenges and practical approaches to creating safer, more equitable and inclusive sporting environments
  • share experiences, ideas and approaches with other practitioners working across the sector
  • build connections and identify opportunities for collaboration across Melbourne’s east.

The series will combine presentations, case studies, facilitated discussion and practical learning, with opportunities for participants to reflect on how the ideas and approaches shared could apply within their own local context.

Two-part online Community of Practice series:

The Communities of Practice are designed as a two-part series, with the sessions building on one another:

Community of Practice 1: The Role of Sport in Advancing Gender Equality and Preventing Gender-Based Violence

Tuesday 15 September, 1.00pm–3:00pm
Explore the role of sport as a setting for advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, drawing on evidence, practice and examples from across Victoria. The session will consider how sport can create safe, inclusive spaces for participation, belonging and connection, and how an intersectional approach can strengthen gender equality and primary prevention efforts. Participants will hear from practitioners and sector leaders about approaches, initiatives and lessons from practice.

Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bvvWDdt3RqquHHC6cUYWRg

Community of Practice 2: Taking Action Through Sport

Tuesday 29 September, 10.00am–12:00pm
Explore practical programs, initiatives, partnerships and approaches supporting gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence across sport and recreation. Hear from local government and sporting sector leaders about current work, emerging approaches and lessons from practice, with opportunities to consider how these approaches could be applied in your own local context.

Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/gPBlZfSyR_6ik_mzG_2nGg

We encourage participants to attend both sessions where possible to support continuity, build relationships and deepen the learning across the series. However, participants are welcome to register for either session individually.

Speakers and contributors will be announced soon.

Who should attend?

The Communities of Practice are primarily targeted to local government practitioners working in Sport and Recreation, Community Development, Community Strengthening, Gender Equality and Prevention or other roles supporting local sporting clubs, active recreation or community participation.

We also welcome participation from community health organisations, sporting organisations and leagues, primary prevention practitioners and other organisations working across Melbourne’s east who have an interest in advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence through sport and recreation.

Both experienced practitioners and those newer to this work are welcome. Organisations are also encouraged to bring multiple colleagues where relevant.

Recording and privacy

Presentations from the Communities of Practice will be recorded, with recordings intended to be shared with the TFER partnership following the sessions and potentially used for Women’s Health East social media and other communications.

Participant discussions, interactive activities and conversations will not be recorded or distributed.

Meet the speakers for Community of Practice 1

Community of Practice 1 brings together perspectives from across elite and community sport, primary prevention and local government. Our speakers will help establish why sport is such an influential setting for advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, while sharing examples of how this evidence is being translated into practice.

Rana Hussain

Thought Leader and Founder, Good. Human

Rana Hussain is the Founder of Good. Human, which helps people and organisations build cultures of belonging across self, team and system. She honed her skills in elithttps://www.goodhuman.au/about-use sport and now works across the corporate, not-for-profit and arts sectors, bringing the lessons of high-performance culture to diverse environments.

Rana was the first Muslim woman appointed to a national sporting board and today serves on the boards of Welcoming Australia, Reconciliation Australia and Basketball Australia. A sought-after speaker, facilitator and broadcaster, Rana is driven by the recognition that belonging is a core human need to thrive—and the key to lasting cultural change.

Sport for Everyone? Turning Inclusion into Belonging

Getting people through the door is only the beginning. Drawing on her experience across community and elite sport, Rana will explore the difference between being included in sport and genuinely belonging—and what that asks of the people and systems shaping community sport.

Through a gender and intersectional lens, Rana will consider how we create sport where people do not simply participate but feel safe, valued and that they matter.

Key themes will include:

  • The difference between participation, inclusion and genuine belonging
  • Understanding people’s experiences of sport through an intersectional lens
  • How everyday policies, environments, behaviours and decisions shape belonging

Vernetta Taylor

Prevention Advisor, Women’s Health Grampians

Vernetta works across sport, schools and community to promote gender equality and prevent gender-based violence. Over the past two years, she has worked primarily with sporting clubs across the Grampians region, supporting clubs to understand the drivers of gender-based violence and identify practical strategies for creating safe, equal and respectful communities.

Vernetta brings extensive experience in community development, project management and leadership development. She is passionate about creating positive social change through education and preventative action, particularly within sporting clubs in regional and rural communities, where sport is often at the heart of community life.

The CoRE Alliance and Act@Play: Supporting local sporting clubs to achieve gender equality and prevent gender-based violence

Vernetta will explore Women’s Health Grampians’ work with sporting clubs through the CoRE Alliance and funded partnerships with local government. Her presentation will illustrate how a whole-of-club approach, relationship-based engagement and collaboration with local government can support meaningful and sustainable change.

Key themes will include:

  • Why whole-of-club change is more effective than one-off training
  • Local government partnerships as critical enablers
  • Building club engagement through relationships and trust
  • The time and sustained commitment required to create meaningful change

Dayna Nicholas

Free From Violence Project Officer, Knox City Council

Dayna Nicholas is the Free From Violence Project Officer at Knox City Council, working within the Community Strengthening department. Her role seeks to embed family violence prevention initiatives across Council’s areas of influence, both internally and throughout the community.

Dayna works closely with Council’s Leisure team to support sporting clubs to advance gender equality, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the prevention of gender-based violence across the community.

Building a Culture for Success: Beyond the Playing Field

Integrating gender equality—and particularly the prevention of gender-based violence—into community sport can be challenging. Clubs are often under-resourced and led by volunteers who support the intent of the work but face practical obstacles to creating meaningful change.

Dayna will share how Knox City Council works to reduce these barriers and support clubs to create environments that are safe and inclusive for everyone.

Key themes will include:

  • The benefits for clubs and communities of creating safe and inclusive environments
  • The realities and barriers experienced by volunteer-led sporting clubs
  • Lessons and successes from Knox City Council’s work with local clubs
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