Active club grants looking to tackle uncomfortable issue for female athletes

Active recreation, sport and recreational fishing clubs can now apply for their share in more than $1.2 million through the latest round of the State Government’s Active Club Program (ACP).

Clubs are being encouraged to utilise their funding to help break down barriers around menstruation that can impact female participation in physical activity.

Clubs can apply to utilise their funding for period products, flexible uniform offerings, menstrual health training and menstrual health resources.

This is in response to the South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People’s ‘Menstruation Matters’ report, which found that girls are missing PE lessons at school, sporting commitments outside of school and ‘working out’ because they have a lack of confidence to participate in sport whilst they have their period.

Through encouraging conversations about menstruation and raising awareness around clubs, outdated attitudes or a reluctance to talk about periods can be shifted.

South Australian Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Katrine Hildyard said girls and women should never feel inhibited, embarrassed or self-conscious about participating in the sport they love because of their period.

“Stigma around periods can be a barrier and through this grant program, we are encouraging clubs to think about actions they can take to break that stigma,” she said.

“This initiative is about doing just that. As is the re-establishment of our South Australian Women in Sport Taskforce which is committed to continuing to improve the participation of girls and women in sport and to shifting gender inequality.

Through Round 51 of the ACP, clubs are eligible to receive up to $3,000 for funding of programs and equipment that will benefit the physical activity levels of South Australians.

Applications close Wednesday, March 15. For more information on the application process visit: www.orsr.sa.gov.au/grants/active-club-program