Valley Sport eNews - November 2025

Hey there! There’s plenty to catch up on this month! From celebrating the success of our Let Them Play programs and the Shepparton All Abilities Carnival, to exploring the new Sport Volunteer Resource Hub and child safety tools, we’re continuing to help local clubs grow stronger, safer and more inclusive.

You’ll also find details on our upcoming Vaping Support Workshop, plus the latest grants and resources available to support your club’s development. Don’t miss out - there’s something for everyone working to make community sport thrive!

Let Them Play Helps Every Child Shine - From Tennis Courts to Athletics Tracks!

The Let Them Play program, proudly funded by VicHealth’s Growing Healthy Communities Grant, continues to hit all the right notes - giving children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and those who are neurodiverse the chance to learn, grow, and thrive through sport.

👉 If your club is interested in becoming a Let Them Play club, get in touch with us - we’d love to help you create inclusive opportunities for every child to get active and belong.

Explore the New Sport Volunteer Resource Hub!

Volunteers are the heart of community sport - and now there’s a new way to support, celebrate, and strengthen their experience.

The Sport Volunteer Resource Hub, developed by the Australian Sports Commission, is your one-stop destination for all things volunteering in sport. Whether you’re helping out at your local club or coordinating a major event, the Hub provides tools, insights, and inspiration to make every volunteer experience easier, more rewarding, and more sustainable.

💡 What’s Inside the Hub

The Hub is built around the Sport Volunteer Experience Framework, which is underpinned by a simple but powerful Vision for the Future of Sport Volunteering.

Through this framework, you’ll discover five key elements that shape a positive volunteer experience:

1. Make it Easy – Simplify the way people get involved

2. Belong – Build inclusive, welcoming environments

3. Tailor Roles – Match opportunities to people’s skills and interests

4. Support Me – Provide guidance and recognition

5. Create Value – Ensure volunteering feels worthwhile for everyone

🌟 Explore, Learn, and Apply

There’s no set order to follow - explore at your own pace! Each section includes:

• A short animated video explaining each element

• Thought-provoking tips and insights

• Case studies and examples from clubs and events

• Practical tools to help you enhance your volunteer program

Whether you’re a committee member, coach, coordinator or volunteer manager, this Hub will help you build stronger, happier, and more connected volunteer communities.

👉 Explore the Hub today: click here

Supporting Child Safety in Sport: Great Resources + Local Help

At Valley Sport, we’re passionate about helping clubs make sport safe, inclusive, and empowering for every child. Recently, we came across some excellent resources from Sport Integrity Australia designed to help clubs strengthen their child safeguarding practices and protect young people in all sporting environments.

Two new guides are particularly valuable for community clubs:

• Safeguarding Young Athletes in Open-Age Sport – This guide helps clubs support young athletes under 18 who participate in adult competitions. It includes practical advice on communication, parental involvement, consent, supervision, and risk management to ensure these athletes feel safe and supported.

• Transporting Children and Young People in Sport – This factsheet outlines safe practices for transporting children to and from sporting activities, including consent requirements, supervision expectations, and emergency procedures.

Both resources emphasise the importance of maintaining strong communication with parents and carers, using clear reporting procedures, and promoting a culture of safety, respect, and accountability.

You can explore these and other practical resources on the Sport Integrity Australia website: 👉 sportintegrity.gov.au/resources

How Level Up Can Help Your Club

Valley Sport’s Level Up Program provides local support to help clubs meet their Child Safe Standards obligations. Through the Level Up online portal, clubs can:

• Assess their current child safety practices

• Access templates, policies, and training resources

• Store key compliance documents in one secure place

• Receive tailored guidance from Valley Sport staff

Whether your club is just starting out or refining existing processes, Level Up makes it easier to stay on track with your responsibilities and build a truly child-safe culture.

📧 Contact us to learn how we can support your club’s child safety journey.

Together, we can make sport across the region a place where every child feels safe, supported, and empowered to play.

We all know clubs care deeply about the wellbeing of their young players — both on and off the field. 💚

Join Valley Sport, GV Public Health Unit (GV PHU) and Good Sports for a free practical workshop on how your club can reduce vaping harms and support healthier choices in your community.

Even if vaping isn’t currently an issue at your club, this session will equip you to be a positive influence - helping young people make healthy decisions that last a lifetime.

What You’ll Learn

• Up-to-date education on vaping and emerging trends

• Understanding risk and protective factors

• Practical strategies to manage vaping within your club and community

• How Good Sports can help you create or strengthen club policies

• Tools and resources to support member wellbeing

This event is free, but registration is essential. 👉 Register here

Let’s work together to keep the next generation healthy, active, and smoke-free.

October Highlights: Celebrating Inclusion and Club Connections

This month reminded us why community sport matters from the joy of the All Abilities Carnival to meaningful conversations with clubs across our regions.

🚗 On the Road with Valley Sport: Supporting Clubs Across Our Regions

Our Project Officers have been out and about across the region - connecting with local clubs, sharing resources, and supporting volunteers through Valley Sport’s key programs: Club Hub, Game Plan, and Level Up. 💬

🌿 In Murrindindi, Project Officer Sharna spent the day visiting Eildon Bowling Club, Alexandra Golf Club, and the Yea Water Tigers Swim Club - chatting about how these tools can strengthen governance, improve planning, and create safer, more inclusive environments for all members.

🌾 Meanwhile in Moira, Project Officer Lucy has been busy visiting Tungamah Bowls Club, Yarrawonga Bowls Club, Katunga Tennis Club, and Cobram Croquet Club where it was a pleasure meeting so many dedicated volunteers who are passionate about growing their clubs and communities.

Across every visit, one thing stands out - the commitment and care of our local sporting volunteers. Valley Sport is proud to support clubs across the shires of Moira, Benalla, Mansfield, Strathbogie, Mitchell, Murrindindi, and Greater Shepparton, in building stronger, safer, and more sustainable sporting environments.

👉 Want to learn how we can support your club’s growth and development? Get in touch with us today at [email protected]

🌟Celebrating Inclusion at the Shepparton All Abilities Carnival!

What an incredible day it was at Shepparton Sports City for this year’s All Abilities Football & Netball Carnival! The weather was perfect, the energy was high, and the smiles were endless as players, volunteers, and supporters came together to celebrate the spirit of inclusive sport.

A Day of Connection and Fun
Participants showcased fantastic teamwork, sportsmanship, and joy throughout the day — proving that sport truly is for everyone. Whether on the court or on the field, every match was filled with laughter, encouragement, and community pride.

Thank You to Our Partners, Supporters and Participants
This wonderful event wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration and enthusiasm of so many local partners and volunteers:
🏉 AFL Victoria & AFL Goulburn Murray 🏐 Netball Victoria
🏐Shepparton Netball Association (SNA) 👏 Goulburn Valley Water
👏 Mooroopna Lions Club 👏 Goulburn Valley Grammar School student umpires
👏 Greater Shepparton City Council

And, of course, a huge shout-out to the amazing teams who took to the courts and fields:
⭐ GV Stars ⭐ Banmira Specialist School ⭐ Cobram & District Specialist School
⭐ Wangaratta District Specialist School ⭐ Shepparton Access
⭐ Goulburn Options Disability Services ⭐ Yarrawonga Mulwala Lighting
⭐ Echuca & District Netball Association (Echuca Rocketts)

The Power of Inclusive Sport
Days like this remind us of the incredible power of sport - to unite communities, celebrate diversity, and create opportunities for everyone to play, connect, and shine.

If you have any questions or would like assistance applying for any of the above grants, please don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Follow the Valley Sport Facebook page to keep up to date with resources and tips that will be useful for you and your club. We encourage you to share our posts with your members.

Valley Sport are always here to support your club and you can reach us via the platforms below:

Email: [email protected]
Valley Sport Website: https://valleysport.net.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleySport.GVSA/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valleysport.gvsa/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/valleysportgvsa

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