Sign in
Sign in
Contact

Leadership
Aboriginal People

Aboriginal people make up 2.8% of the Australian population. There are many different Aboriginal communities, and 150 languages recorded in the 2016 Census. Moreover, individuals vary in the languages they can speak and understand. In Victoria, 57% of Aboriginal people identify with a clan, tribal or language group.

Within this very diverse community are community leaders who play a significant role in facilitating the participation of Aboriginal people in sport and active recreation. If your sport organisation has a strategic plan to increase participation in your sport by Aboriginal people, then the most important consideration is how you will work with the leaders of Aboriginal communities. Central to this approach, often referred to as ‘community-centred’, is understanding that Aboriginal communities have the right to determine what is most important to them and that they are recognised as the experts regarding their community.

Many Aboriginal people are passionate about sport. After the Siren, a report by Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, highlights activities which are popular amongst Indigenous people. These activities include running, rugby, swimming, AFL, netball, basketball and soccer. This is comparable to the recent AusPlay national participation survey which showed that these activities are among the top 20 favorite activities of all Australians.

The Australian Human Rights Commission recognises that there is a gap between the health status of Aboriginal people and the broader population of Australia. Physical activity is not the only component which contributes to the health status of Aboriginal people – others include social and emotional well-being, governance, community capability, cultural and spiritual factors – however it can play a role in leading to a positive impact across a few of these areas. Therefore, your sport organisation can make a contribution to the health status of Aboriginal people by working with local communities and providing opportunities for participation in your sport.

The State Sport Association Participation Program evaluation found that the burden of physical inactivity is higher among Aboriginal people.

 

The information, advice and resources contained on this page have been developed by Vicsport, using the independent evaluation of the VicHealth State Sport Association Participation Program, and through consultation with VicHealth, Sport and Recreation Victoria, Netball Victoria, Cricket Australia, Surfing Victoria, Canoeing Victoria, and Gippsport.

 

Share your stories!

If your organisation has a story to share about participation in your sport by Aboriginal people, please feel free to contact Vicsport. We would be happy to provide links to case studies or videos on this page.

Every sporting organisation has its own culture. A culture is set by the way leaders — including those with roles on the committee and board, coaches, players and volunteers — behave. This includes their attitudes, beliefs and ideas. A culture starts from the top and trickles down. Given this, your leaders must create a culture that encourages Aboriginal people to be included. Effective leaders understand the importance of engaging with communities as the key to successful relationships and understand how they as leaders can support their organisation to make it happen.

Creating a Culture Change

There are many things you can do to support leaders and develop welcoming and inclusive environments for Aboriginal people.

Ensure leaders have relevant skills

Sport organisations aiming to increase participation by Aboriginal people should consider how the skills and experiences of board or committee members, staff, coaches and volunteers allow them to have a positive impact within the sport. This might also include encouraging and supporting Aboriginal people to take on leadership roles if they don’t already.

Cultural awareness training

Every individual has their own experiences, perspectives and beliefs. Making sport more welcoming and inclusive involves understanding other perspectives, and the needs of people of all ages, backgrounds and level of ability. But you are not expected to already know everything about everyone. Therefore, cultural awareness training is an excellent option for any sport organisation aiming to encourage greater participation by Aboriginal people. Specific training programs do exist, and your organisation is encouraged to consider providing a training session for your staff or volunteers. This is important at both the state association level and at local clubs. Training may help develop:

  • Knowledge of the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Positive attitudes towards and understanding of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
  • Increased knowledge of different languages and behavior styles from different cultures
  • More inclusive workplaces or club environments

Various organisations can provide cultural awareness training, so it is recommended you engage with training providers to find out if the program meets your needs. Some organisations which provide cultural awareness training include the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Services Association Ltd (VACSAL), and the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT).

Organisations participating in the State Sport Association Participation Program found that organising cross-cultural awareness training was very beneficial in supporting staff to work with Aboriginal people.

Building Trust and On-Going Participation

An inclusive sport organisation is committed to achieving long-term outcomes. Your organisation’s vision and strategic plan should set the agenda for what you want to achieve, how you will do it, and how you will measure your success. If you commit to increasing participation by Aboriginal people in your sport and making it sustainable, then you commit to building trust with local communities through understanding and respect. This is important because the outcomes you want to see will often take time to be achieved. By making a long-term commitment you will give your organisations the best chance of ongoing participation.

 

More Training and Support Information

For more information on training and support, please see:

Local councils are a good source of information about local communities – visit the Know Your Council website to find out more.

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc. VACCHO – workforce development.

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Services Association Ltd – cultural awareness training.

Koorie Heritage Trust – cultural awareness training.

State Government of Victoria and VicHealth and Onemda - Life is Health is Life

Sport and Recreation Victoria – Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Program

The State Sport Association Participation Program evaluation highlighted the effectiveness of community-based approaches to increasing participating in sport and active recreation by Aboriginal people. This means collaborating with organisations that work with or are led by Aboriginal communities. Within these organisations, leaders are delivering positive outcomes to many diverse communities across Victoria. As a sport organisation you can connect with potential Aboriginal leaders by forming partnerships with co-operatives, community health organisations, local governments, community services and even other local sporting organisations. You may also find leaders within your organisation or membership who can be helpful to you.

Role Models 

One way to encourage greater participation in sport and active recreation is to ensure people have role models to inspire them by providing a relatable personal story. This is true for people of all ages, beliefs and backgrounds, and it is true for Aboriginal people.

While it might be easy to identify Aboriginal people who are visible in elite Australian sport, role models are just as important at the local level.

Sport organisations involved in the State Sport Association Participation Program found that Aboriginal people are more likely to take part in sporting activities in which other Aboriginal people already participate.

Some things to consider when using role models to encourage participation include:

  • Aim to promote a diverse range of Aboriginal people as role models, including all genders, people with a disability, older adults and people from LGBTIQ communities.
  • Find Aboriginal people within your sport or club and understand the positive influence they can have on recruitment of new participants.
  • Encourage Aboriginal people to take on leadership roles within your sport – as committee members, coaches, officials and event organisers – as this provides visible inspiration for potential participants and shows your sport to be a culturally safe and welcoming place to participate.
  • Be careful not to over burden people. Providing appropriate supports, remuneration and/or recognition is important.
Recruitment and Retention of Aboriginal Leaders

Your sport organisation needs to take an active role to identify and support leaders who have the passion, skills and experience to make your sport more inclusive of Aboriginal people. This includes leaders at all levels of the sport: administrators, volunteers, coaches and committee members. They may be Aboriginal people or not – most importantly, you need the right leaders in place, along with a strategy to retain them.

Vicsport has consulted with Victorian sport organisations who are already working with Aboriginal people and developed the following list of suggestions:

  • Consult with local Aboriginal community groups, including their leaders or Elders, to identify potential leaders from within the community
  • Recruit Aboriginal people to key roles
  • Prioritise the recruitment of people who have experience working with Aboriginal communities
  • Talk to your members – face to face – to identify Aboriginal people who are interested in leadership roles
  • Consider the current profile of your leadership positions, and how the voice of Aboriginal people can add significant value to your organisation
  • Conduct cultural awareness training to ensure you provide an environment of acceptance and respect to encourage the retention of leaders
  • Aim to support multiple leaders in your organisation to ensure continuity if a key individual is no longer involved in your organisation

Canoeing Victoria was involved in the State Sport Association Participation Program. They hired an ‘Indigenous Client Relationship Manager’ to work closely with local communities and drive canoeing programs. In the program evaluation, the organisation reported that “the relationships and networks that were established with Indigenous organisations in the community were viewed as the most important component of the work they had undertaken.”

Training and Support

Once you have identified Aboriginal people as leaders in your sport, you can provide additional training or support as required.

The State Sport Association Participation Program evaluation highlighted some useful actions to take:

  • Run training or coaching programs with Aboriginal people so that local communities can take the lead on delivery of your sport activities.
  • Canoeing Victoria reported they trained Aboriginal people, resulting in locally based qualified trainers for to deliver canoeing. This provided benefits including increasing participation and reducing the number of hours required by Canoeing Victoria staff to deliver programs.
  • Further consultation by VicHealth highlights the need to employ more Aboriginal people. Interviewees suggested it may be in an organisation’s interest to hire more Aboriginal people, and that if they were serious about being active in this space, having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander officer would be an important, visible commitment.

A great example of an organisation providing education and training to help Aboriginal people entering in to the workforce is AFL SportsReady.