EMBRACE DIVERSITY TO ACHIEVE GROWTH
Regardless of where a club is located or how well the club feels that it is going on and off the field, those clubs who fully embrace diversity will be better set up for sustained success.
Clubs are the collection of the people who represent it and each local footy club is different, with unique histories, cultures, people, facilities and successes. The way in which the community views the club is largely based on how the club makes people feel. Do they feel proud to be connected to the club? Do they feel welcome? Supported? Encouraged to be involved?
Great clubs do this well regardless of the age, ability, background, skill, race and religion of each person. Not only do they welcome diversity, but they also actively embrace it. This leads to club growth through a range of outcomes: improved culture, more players, more volunteers, more funding, more sponsors and a feeling of making a difference within their community.
Fair Play is a four-part series that has been created to share ideas, case studies and resources to assist clubs and programs in creating safe and welcoming environments for people from all backgrounds.
Themed Rounds are a great opportunity to promote diversity & inclusivity. Check out the Community Football Themed Rounds guide on our page for 'Planning' and under the dropdown 'Season-Long Planning'.
It is important to consider how Australian Football reflects the community where not all people involved in Community Football will identify as either male or female. The AFL Gender Diversity Policy – Community Football can assist as a resource to help guide local football clubs through what can appear on the surface as a complex matter.
You may know of people who would like to be involved in the club as a player however, for a variety of reasons, can’t commit to playing in the ‘traditional’ team structure that your club offers. It would be great to offer them a fun & social solution to keep them connected to the club though.