Addressing gender-based issues, power imbalances, and relationships in sport.
The Respectful Behaviours Program has been developed by the ASC in partnership with Deakin University utilising facilitated research in the Australian high performance sport system.
Program participants are assisted to recognise and address issues surrounding gender-based inequalities and violence, power imbalances, and athlete/athlete and coach/athlete relations within their sporting environments.
This program is currently being updated. Delivery will re-commence soon.
The Respectful Behaviours Program is a workshop delivered face-to-face via a blend of discussion and activities in a psychologically safe environment that enables participants to:
Research shows:
The program is comprised of nine modules delivered to athletes, coaches and staff, in a collaborative workshop setting. The workshops are tailored to match selected modules with the needs of the organisation and are delivered in-person and can be tailored to the needs of each NSO and NIN.
This workshop provides athletes and staff with an understanding of the context of respectful behaviours within elite sport and provides an introduction to concepts and themes in respectful behaviours. It allows participants to develop their own views, as well as listen to other peoples’ views, in relation to issues of gender, respect and relationships.
In a competitive environment, conflict can be inevitable. To ensure a positive, safe and inclusive high performance environment, developing participants who are open and willing to communicate issues early helps manage conflict.
This workshop assists participants to develop communication skills (digital and non digital) and to establish important connections between communication, conflict and consent in elite sport. It develops participants knowledge and understanding of respectful forms of communication in an elite sporting environment and explores personal comfort with conflict and provides strategies to help navigate conflict effectively.
This workshop provides participants with strategies to identify, intervene and engage others in responding to problematic attitudes, practices and behaviours. It also provides practical examples of intervening as a bystander. It allows participants important opportunities to consider issues of safety associated with intervening, and for participants to form their own micro-level action plan so everyone is aware of their role in keeping respectful behaviours a core part of elite sporting cultures.
This workshop is designed to enable participants to identify incidents in the DTE and how to respond in the moment. Participants explore their own reactions and feelings about potential issues that can be extremely challenging and confronting. This workshop may include issues such as how to respond to sexual assault or power imbalances between members (e.g. athletes, coaches and/or support staff). It provides strategies and practice for participants to respond to a serious incident.
NOTE: For specific information on reporting integrity concerns in sport, please visit the Sport Integrity Australia website https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/contact-us/anonymously-report-integrity-issues, opens in a new tab
This workshop is designed to provide staff with a framework they can refer to when difficult situations arise. This framework will allow them to look out for themselves and others by exploring personal ethics and putting these into practice.
To be eligible for the Respectful Behaviours Program, you must be a funded NSO or NIN. Workshops are at no cost to the NSO or NIN.
Elite Athlete Education Network and State Sporting organisations are also eligible to access workshops under a cost recovery agreement. Access is also dependent on presenter availability.
NSO/NIN/EAN/SSO’s are responsible for the following when hosting face-to-face workshops:
As participants will be dealing with potentially sensitive issues focusing on respect, relationships and intersectional forms of violence in the elite sporting context, workshops are designed for participants 18 and over.
If you require a modified program suitable for participants aged 16-18 years or younger, please contact us directly for more information.
Please contact the Leadership & Professionalism team at leadershipandprofessionalism@ausport.gov.au for further information about the program.