New research from Dr Pam Kappelides has examined the implementation and impact of the Victorian Government’s Fair Access Policy on community sports infrastructure. Introduced in 2022, the policy aims to ensure women and girls in Victoria have equal access to sporting facilities and opportunities.
“Our research revealed significant improvements in policy development, facility provision and stakeholder education,” says Dr Kappelides. “This progress shows that targeted government interventions can positively influence participation opportunities for women and girls.”
Despite this, she says that challenges remain.
“The persistence of cultural resistance and infrastructure limitations highlights that policy alone is insufficient without sustained investment, organisational change and community-level engagement,” she added.
The study also emphasises the importance of ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that gender equity measures result in durable, meaningful change within community sport environments.
Dr Kappelides notes that the findings carry important implications for government, local councils and community sport organisations working to advance gender equity through policy.
“This study underscores the value of tailored policy interventions in addressing historical gender disparities in community sports participation and offers insights for the continuous evaluation and enhancement of gender equity measures.”
