Four research projects have been successful in securing funding in the 2022-23 Change Our Game Research Grants Program. The Program supports Victorian researchers with grants of up to $25,000 to find solutions to issues and barriers for women and girls in sport.

The four projects are:

1.  Effective anti-racism approaches for women and girls in community sport (Deakin University - Associate Professor Kim Toffoletti, Aish Ravi, Professor Karen Farquharson and Associate Professor Karen Block)

2.  Improving community sport clubs' gender diversity management (Deakin University - Dr Jordan Taylor Bakhsh, Acting Professor Katie Rowe and Professor Pamm Phillips)

3. Building bridges across the gender divide – mobilizing male allyship in sport coaching (Deakin University - Dr Zoe Anver, Associate Professor Helen Brown, Dr Luke Jones)

4. Mapping intersectionality within the Victorian sport sector workplaces (RMIT University - Professor Emma Sherry, Eleanor Faulkner, Professor Tracy Taylor)

The anti-racism project led by Kim Toffoletti and Aish Ravi from Deakin University will investigate women and girls' experiences and responses to racism in community sport.

Research Lead at Deakin University Kim Toffoletti said, “The support provided by Change Our Game will enable an important piece of research to help inform community sporting clubs on effective anti-racism approaches and how to make sport a fairer and more inclusive space for women and girls.”

Research has shown that women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities report lower participation rates in sport and physical activity.

Toffoletti and Ravi will consider the impacts of reporting racism and create culturally relevant and gender-sensitive anti-racism resources.  This project will complement research funded in last year’s program on enabling Muslim girls in physical activity and sport, which highlighted the barriers and parental attitudes around Muslim girls playing sport.

Since 2018, the Change Our Game Research Grants Program has invested more than $390,000 in 18 research projects to address issues impacting women and girls in sport and active recreation. The program also aims to support the career development of early career researchers with an interest in gender equality and sport.

Thursday 15 June 2023