news June 10 2025

Calling all football and netball clubs in our region to be part of our new Tackling Consent project.

This is a unique opportunity for sporting clubs to team up with us at Centre Against Violence (CAV) to tackle conversations around consent, equality, respect, and leadership. Working with the whole club, including young people, coaches, committees, and mentors, we want to work together to promote safe, inclusive, and respectful sporting environments.

Tackling Consent is a values-led education initiative supporting footy and netball clubs across the Ovens & Murray region to lead open and practical conversations about consent, respect, and club culture. The program is free and designed to create safer, more inclusive sporting environments for young people aged 12–17 and their mentors, building leadership skills both on and off the field.

Endorsed by Ben Brown, former AFL footballer, premiership player with Melbourne Football Club, and long-time advocate for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion and Kiera Austin, professional netballer with the Australian Diamonds and champion of respectful, inclusive sporting culture, the program features filmed stories and messages from both athletes, which are woven into the workshop content. Their voices bring authenticity and inspiration while reinforcing the importance of acting with respect across all areas of club life.

Program Journey (Nov 2025 – Oct 2026) The program unfolds across the sporting season, combining education, culture change, and community celebration. Noting the timeline can be flexible depending on your clubs’ commencement dates for the 2026 season.

Nov 2025 – Jan 2026: Parental Consent Forms. Clubs collect and return parental consent forms for young participants, ensuring readiness for workshops and safeguarding compliance. Feb–Mar 2026: Session 1 – Tackling Consent Workshop (2 hours). Covers definitions of consent, respectful relationships, and technology-facilitated violence. LaTrobe University surveys conducted to collect baseline data on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours.

Apr–May 2026: Family Violence Awareness Round. (Optional) A community-wide sporting weekend to highlight respect and consent, paired with a LaTrobe University survey to evaluate engagement and early program impact.

Aug–Sept 2026: Session 2 – Season Recap and Lessons Learned. Reflecting on successes and challenges, followed by La Trobe University surveys measuring knowledge and behaviour change.

Full Season Initiatives: Respect & Consent Awards: Recognition of young players who exemplify respectful behaviour, co-designed with participants in Session 1. Campaign on Respect & Consent: Posters, social media messaging, and visibility campaigns across clubs throughout the season. (resources supplied by CAV) Policy and Procedure Guidance (Optional): Support for clubs to implement policies and procedures that sustain respect activities beyond the season. Secondary Consults: CAV provides secondary consultations if incidents occur throughout the year, ensuring clubs have expert support when needed.

To participate in Tackling Consent, clubs agree to: Provide clubrooms at no charge for workshops, meetings, and program activities. Support participation by encouraging players, mentors, coaches, and committee members to attend sessions and events. Promote program messaging by displaying posters, sharing social media content, and embedding respect and consent values in club culture. Nominate and celebrate role models through the weekly Respect & Consent Awards. Work collaboratively with Centre Against Violence and La Trobe University researchers to complete surveys and provide feedback on the program.

This project is a partnership between CAV and La Trobe University, and is funded through the Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project.

Download the information pack here. 

Learn More & Discover Resources here.

Register Today! here