A new program is aiming to improve cultural safety across community sports and arts in Victoria.
Aiming to help create communities where every young person can enjoy the health benefits of sport and the arts, VicHealth is investing $5 million in a new program titled ‘Shifting the Playbook: Towards Cultural Safety and Equity in Victoria.’
According to VicHealth, the harm caused by racism goes beyond words and causes and contributes to stress, anxiety, depression and chronic disease – impacts disproportionately experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and culturally and racially marginalised communities – and when racism and discrimination appear in community sport and arts, it makes those spaces unwelcoming and unsafe, denying people the physical and mental health benefits of participating and belonging.
Over the next three and a half years, VicHealth will work alongside six peak bodies – Football Victoria, Basketball Victoria, Music Victoria, Regional Arts Victoria, AusDance Victoria and Reclink Australia, to support locally led projects that strengthen cultural safety and equity.
These partnerships will collaborate with local governments and community organisations to make spaces more welcoming.
VicHealth chief executive professor Anna Peeters said the initiative recognises racism as a public health issue that demands collective action, and intervention across systems.
“Sport and the arts have the power to bring people together, but only if everyone feels safe, seen and valued regardless of their gender, sexuality or cultural background,” Professor Peeters said.
“Racism and discrimination severely affects mental and physical health and wellbeing. It not only harms individuals, it denies everyone the benefits of being able to fully participate in community life,” she said.
“We’re working alongside our partners to strengthen sport and the arts by preventing and reducing interpersonal and structural racism – so that everyone is enabled to lead healthy, connected lives.”
The Shifting the Playbook initiative will aim to support building racial literacy, strengthening organisational processes, and leadership development to drive meaningful, long-term change within community organisations.
Partners include the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence, Culture Spring – powered by the Centre for Multicultural Youth – and Victoria University.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said everyone, “no matter where you’re from or who you are, deserves to participate in sport without discrimination”.
