November 9th, 2026Sports Central kicks off its first ‘Allies in Sport’ workshop:
Sports Central has kicked off the Allies in Sport initiative with its first workshop: “Creating Safe, Equal and Respectful Sporting Clubs” held at Selkirk Stadium on Tuesday, October 27.
Facilitated by Women’s Health Grampians, the session was presented to male club leaders from various sporting codes across the Ballarat region. The Allies in Sport project will continue with another workshop this Wednesday 11 November, followed by co-design sessions where our allies will be able to make a real impact into local strategies that will be applied to clubs across the Ballarat region.
Launched in August, the Allies in Sport initiative continues to invite males in club leadership roles across Ballarat to sign up as allies to help create safer, more inclusive sporting environments. Designed to promote healthy masculinity, gender equality and respectful behaviour, the project offers education, support and forums, such as the workshop held last week, to equip male allies to foster inclusive environments, and reduce barriers to women and girls to participate, coach and lead within their clubs.
Sports Central’s Equity and Respect Lead, Adrian Harris, said of this introductory Allies in Sport workshop: “It was fantastic to see such great enthusiasm and willing participation. Having male leaders assembled from so many different sports proved just how strong the commitment to this cause is.”
Senior Prevention Advisor at Women’s Health Grampians and workshop facilitator, Ange van den Berg, noted: “We are delighted to be working with Sports Central on their Allies in Sport program as part of Respect Ballarat. We know that sporting clubs can be powerful settings for creating positive change and shaping cultures of respect. It was great to work with a highly engaged group of workshop participants on building a shared understanding of how to create safe, equal and respectful sporting clubs and we look forward to continuing this important work.”
Over 20 Ballarat club leaders have signed up as male allies so far. Some of those in attendance included the Ballarat Football Umpires Association’s (BFUA’s) Chair, Chris Jones, Field Umpire Coach, Brendan Brasser and Boundary Umpire Coach, Glenn Chiswell.
Chris Jones expressed BFUA’s enthusiasm about the initiative and the necessity for clubs to actively include females, stating of the BFUA: “Providing a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for women and girls is essential to who we are. It ensures that every umpire, regardless of gender, can participate confidently, develop their skills, and feel valued as part of our group. This commitment also supports the growth of football in Ballarat by encouraging more women and girls to join, stay, and thrive in our sport.”
Basketball Ballarat are key partners on the project, generously providing Selkirk Stadium as the venue for the Allies in Sport sessions. The next session on “Team Effort” Gender-inclusive training will be held at Selkirk Stadium on Wednesday, November 11 from 6.30pm – 8pm. The proceeding co-design session will be held on November 30. Registration is essential.
