The Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS) applauds the Victorian Government’s initiative to help all kids return to sport in 2021. 

The Victorian-first program Get Active Kids is part of the Get Active Victoria initiative which is helping and encouraging families to move more everyday by getting into grassroots sport. 

The program offers vouchers of up to $200 per child to be used for sporting equipment, uniforms and memberships. These vouchers will help families afford the sports their kids love to play.

The Victorian initiative follows the excellent work of the NSW Government Active Kids voucher program. During its first year of implementation (2018) in NSW 671,375 children registered for a voucher. The program significantly increased children’s physical activity levels across different sociodemographic characteristics. 

The top ten sports that saw an increase in participation through the use of the vouchers in NSW are Football (soccer), Netball, Swimming, Multisport, Dance, Rugby League, Gymnastics, Basketball, Australian Football League (AFL) and Rugby Union.

CAS CEO Rob Bradley said that the programs help break down barriers that limit a child or adolescent’s ability to engage in physical activity.

“The continued introduction of these programs across Australia can help reduce the inequalities in children and adolescents’ physical activity levels,” he said. 

“The NSW program showed an increase in physical activity from 4 hours per week to nearly 5 hours per week in the first 6 months.  That is very encouraging and we hope that the Victorian Get Active Kids program will achieve similar results.”

“Cost, access, time and social support affect children’s physical activity to different degrees and breaking down these barriers is key to increasing participation in physical activity.”

Applications for the vouchers in round one of Victoria’s Get Active Kids will close on 11 April 2021. To apply or obtain more information, visit getactive.vic.gov.au/vouchers.