Background
The Active After-school Communities (AASC) program was introduced in 2005 with 900 primary schools and Out of School Hours Care Services (OSHCS) (sites) participating around Australia.
The program is currently run in 3,270 sites.
The AASC program was initiated in 2005 by the Australian Government as a result of the following societal changes:
- primary school children across Australia becoming less active and subsequently less healthy
- the motor skill competencies of our children being poor, in large part the result of the continuing decline of physical education and sport in Australian schools which began over two decades ago
- changed work patterns reducing opportunities for families to support the out of school activities of their children, whether in sport or other activity areas decades ago
- the opportunities for children to be physically active in the home setting diminishing as families are mindful of the dangers of leaving children to play in unsupervised settings and often instruct children to stay inside.
As a result children within this environment participate in activities such as watching TV and accessing other screen based activities. The once popular pastimes of playing in the local community park, backyard and participating in community sporting club activities has diminished.
The Australian Government through the Australian Sports Commission has risen to the challenges of modern society by developing a program, which introduces children to sport and other structured physical activities by engaging them in the right environment at the right time. Children stay within their secure site environment alleviating many of the issues associated with unsupervised after school activities.
Sporting organisations, sporting clubs, local community organisations and private providers of sports programs involved in the AASC program are committed to delivering a quality, safe and fun after-school program for primary school children.
