Australian Sports Commission Submission

Context

“Sport and physical activity can help close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians life expectancy by providing a practical tool for Indigenous communities to achieve positive outcomes in areas such as physical well-being and mental health, education and social dysfunction”. (Australian Sport: Emerging Challenges, New Direction; 2008, p.9).

The Australian Sports Commission’s Community Sport Division is responsible for delivering & coordinating a number of programs that impact on Indigenous communities and town camps in the Northern Territory.

Active After school Communities (AASC)

Structured sport and physical activity program for primary school aged children to enhance physical activity levels in schools and Out School Hours Care Services (OSHCS) in the after school timeslot;
65 sites currently operate across the Northern Territory with 28 sites servicing Indigenous communities and town camps;
Sites receive grants to assist in conducting the AASC for:
- delivery of activities by local deliverers;
- equipment such as balls, markers & bats;
- supervision by teachers;
- facility hire;
- transport costs;
- nutritious afternoon teas (Schools only).
Sites receive support & assistance through AASC Regional Coordinators who coordinate:
- deliverer training, mentoring & appraisal;
- coordinated visits by Sport Development Officers (SDOs) for sport specific deliverer training;
- general site support with submitting and acquitting grants.
3 AASC Regional Coordinators are located within the Alice Springs & Katherine Indigenous Coordination Centres.
Northern Territory AASC Manager participates in monthly Australian Government Indigenous Affairs Forum (AGIAFNT).
Average participation rate was 43.5 per site children in Northern Territory regional & remote sites.
133 deliverers of ATSI descent have completed the AASC’s Community Coach Training Program which represents 28.1% of all deliverers trained in the Northern Territory.

Indigenous Sport Program

A targeted initiative aimed at increasing Indigenous participation in structured sporting activities and building the capacity of local Indigenous Australians to manage the delivery of future community sport.
The Indigenous Sport Program achieves these aims through:
- a national network of 28 Indigenous Sport Development Officers (ISDOs), financed by the Australian Government and employed under agreement with State/Territory Departments of Sport and Recreation (SDSR) to:
  - assess the sporting needs of Indigenous Australians across all Indigenous Coordination Centre (ICC) Regions (except for Queensland);
  - facilitate the delivery of mainstream structured sport participation and development programs from National Sporting Organisations and State/Territory Sporting Organisations;
- 16¹ National Sporting Organisations financially supported to develop State/Territory Indigenous Sport Action Plans which reflect the grassroots delivery of mainstream sport participation and development programs, often in partnership with ISDOs.
- Providing financial support, under the Elite Indigenous Travel and Accommodation Assistance Program (EITAAP), for Indigenous sportspeople who have been selected in mainstream sporting teams and competitions to represent their State/Territory at a national event or Australia at an international event.
- Linking the availability of other ASC or SDSR Indigenous specific and mainstream sporting programs and resources that meet the direct needs of:
  - Indigenous women seeking sport leadership development opportunities;
  - Indigenous Australians with disabilities;
  - talented Indigenous sportspeople.
In the Northern Territory, for 2007/08:
- 7 ISDOs are employed through the Northern Territory Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport (DLGHS)
- 11,664 (6,004 males, 5,660 females) Indigenous Australians participated in 103 structured sport participation programs;
  - 6,004 male participants (4,137 U’18, 1,867 adults)
  - 5,660 females participants (3,892 U’18, 1,768 adults)
- 54 (44 males, 10 females) Indigenous Australians completed accredited coaching and officiating courses; and
- 221 (111 males, 110 females) Indigenous Australians accessed travel and accommodation assistance, under EITAAP, across 17 sports at a total cost of $200,882.
In addition, the Northern Territory Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport (DLGHS) supports approximately 100 local Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Officers (CSROs), employed out of the 8 new Shire Councils, to support the ongoing grassroots delivery of sport and recreation programs. The 7 NT ISDOs provide leadership, guidance and support to the CSROs and link the availability of mainstream sporting programs and initiatives, workshops and personal development opportunities to further enhance the longer-term delivery of structured sporting activities in the NT. AASC Regional Coordinators liaise with the shire councils where the AASC is delivered.

What is working?

Placement of Government Business Managers (GBMs) as an improved point of contact for supporting programs and the status of communities;
Coordination of notification of AASC Regional Coordinator visits to communities to increase visit outcomes;
Availability of accommodation with GBMs when AASC Regional Coordinators are visiting communities;
Increased nutrition benefits for children as part of school nutrition program
Increased school attendance has increased participation in AASC in some communities

What is not working?

Limited coordination between government agencies, inclusive of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), who utilise sport as a vehicle for engaging Indigenous youth at risk, diverting Indigenous Australians away from substance misuse and improving social wellbeing in the Northern Territory.
Transparency between government agencies about who is doing what, particularly relating to sporting programs.
Lack of long-term strategic planning and funding incorporated across all government agency programs in the NT, making long-term outcomes difficult, if not impossible to achieve.

How is each NTER measure performing and how should each be taken forward?

Coordination

The placement of Government Business Managers (GBMs) has improved support for the AASC program at community level by having an unbiased point of contact that Regional Coordinators can utilise to promote sport through the AASC as a worthwhile contributor to promoting social cohesion. The placement of GBMs should continue and the benefits of sport to Indigenous communities through a coordinated approach be better promoted to GBMs.
The coordination of notification of AASC Regional Coordinator visits to communities has ensured that AASC staff visit at times when the community and other government business can achieve the most effective outcomes. The coordination of these visits should continue in the future and consider NT Government community agencies such as the school and health centre as part of the notification process. The availability of accommodation with GBMs when AASC Regional Coordinators are visiting communities is worthwhile and AASC Regional Coordinators will continue utilise this accommodation where practical. This initiative will continue to be supported by the ASC.

Supporting Families

Youth Diversionary Activities included funding of projects for the improvement of sporting facilities and programs to build participation in constructive community life. Some of the projects were funded on a short term basis and did not include consultation with ASC staff who could have used their expertise to assist in planning and resourcing quality sporting programs like the AASC and ISP which could have an impact in producing longer term outcomes. The ASC would welcome the opportunity to work in a more coordinated way with FaHCSIA when sporting programs are employed to benefit broader social and community outcomes.

Improving Child and Family Health

The provision of health checks has provided the impetus for diagnosing and treating the common illnesses within communities. These interventions coupled with preventative measures are central to improving the health of children and their families. Increased participation in structured sport programs contributes towards improved individual, family and community health and wellbeing. The ASC is well placed to contribute through a coordinated approach to ensure that Indigenous Australians have more opportunity to be involved in sport and to be healthy as a result.

Enhancing Education

The School Nutrition Program was a very positive initiative providing breakfast and lunches for children through contributions from parents. The AASC provides free nutritious afternoon teas to children who participate in the program. These programs complement each other assist with the development of healthy eating behaviours for children in these communities. The School Nutrition Program should continue and more parents should be encouraged to support it through income management. Funding to increase the accessibility of the AASC program in remote sites would further benefit more communities.
Improved school attendance at many Indigenous communities through the attraction of the School Nutrition Program has been complemented by the AASC through its outcome to enhance the physical activity levels of primary school children. Many communities insist children must attend school to participate in the AASC program. Fun, quality and inclusive sporting activities provided by the AASC program in partnership with the School Nutrition Program would provide a more holistic health benefit (diet & physical activity) to children in communities.
The provision of more teachers to Indigenous communities is an important initiative in enhancing education outcomes for Indigenous children. The AASC through its Community Coach Training Program provides training to teachers in partnership with DEET in the use of its highly regarded “Playing For Life “ kit and companion manuals. Increased opportunities to provide this professional development to teachers would enhance their capabilities to more effectively teach physical education/activity and benefit children within the community.

Are there other ways of working that would better address the circumstances facing remote communities and town camps?

In the Northern Territory, the ASC has in place an existing network of AASC Regional Coordinators and deliverers, and Indigenous Sport Development Officers along with partnerships with NT Government, through the Northern Territory Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport (DLGHS), schools and the mainstream sporting industry. This places the ASC in the most effective and efficient position to coordinate Australian Government funded sport and structured physical activity programs in the NT.
For example, if FaHCSIA supported the construction of a new basketball court or swimming pool in a remote community, the ASC through its existing partnerships would facilitate:
- the local engagement of Indigenous children in the afterschool timeslot to develop gross motor skills and social networks which transition into structured sporting programs through the AASC program;
- the delivery of ongoing, structured basketball/swimming programs for community participation and development;
- the provision of modified coaching and officiating courses for local community people to take ownership in running sport for themselves in the future;
- support for local sporting clubs and competitions to integrate with mainstream clubs and competitions (if they exist) or assist in creating new ones; and
- ongoing sport and recreation support via the Northern Territory Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport (DLGHS) funded CSROs.
Consideration also needs to be given to increasing funding to support a greater number of AASC sites in remote Indigenous communities and town camps.
Supporting existing sporting activities and programs is more efficient than creating new ones with no ongoing support or building of community social capital.

1. AFL, Athletics Australia, Australian Rugby League, Australian Rugby Union, Netball Australia, Golf Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia, Surfing Australia, Basketball Australia, Hockey Australia, Cricket Australia, Softball Australia, Swimming Australia, Tennis Australia, Touch Football Australia and Football Federation of Australia (Soccer)

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