Supporting Performance Support practitioners who are early in their career or new to the HP system to become effective and impactful world class practitioners.
Overview
Providing early career Performance Support practitioners a bespoke blend of personal and professional development opportunities, the AIS Practitioner Development Program (PDP) will support practitioners to discover themselves, themselves in their roles and how they best contribute to multidisciplinary teams.
Through a combination of individual and group-based learning, practitioners will develop the tools and strategies to evolve from being purely, enthusiastic and intelligent individuals to becoming effective and impactful world class practitioners.
The program will cover a range of topics such as:
Understanding personal strengths and how to leverage them
Building new skills, knowledge and awareness to work effectively and collaboratively in high performance teams
Proactive career management, decision making and reflection
One-on-one career action planning with an expert career coach
Effective communication and storytelling skills
Practical and evidence-based tools to support Practitioner Wellbeing
Important dates
Applications open
9:00am (AEDT) Monday 24 February 2025
Applications close
5:00pm (AEDT) Friday 21 March 2025
Provide a fast-tracked personal and professional development opportunity for Performance Support practitioners who are early in their career or new to the HP system
Enhance practitioners’ capacity to have impact in their role and best contribute to high performance teams
Promote practitioner wellbeing and proactive career management
Support practitioners to connect with people and thrive in the High Performance sport environment
The AIS PDP was an insightful way to improve my skills in collaboration, networking, and self-reflection, and provided valuable guidance for career progression.
2022 program participant
The small group size, excellent facilitators, and interactive approach make for a learning-rich experience at the in-person workshops. The content covered provided learnings that are both immediately actionable and that will deepen over time. On top of that, the genuine connections made with peers in the HP system across the country is a highlight of the program
2024 Program Participant
The program's goal of personal growth for the practitioners has allowed our practitioner to return to the program more confident in handling situations with colleagues and athletes, able to better self-support herself, and able to support athletes and coaches at a higher level to achieve the high performance objectives.
2023 Manager Testimonial
Program dates
Activity
Dates
Program launch meeting (online) – Participants only
Individuals whose discipline (eg. Athlete Wellbeing & Engagement, Skill Acquisition, Sport Engineering & Sports Intelligence & Analytics) do not have minimum standards are still encouraged to apply.
Be endorsed by their manager.
Be available for all program dates
Program details
Participation in this program is free with catering provided, however participants are expected to cover the cost of any travel, accommodation, ground transport and meals outside of the workshop to attend.
This program will be capped at 15 participants.
Manager Endorsement & Involvement
The practitioner’s manager will play a key role in supporting their applicant’s participation in the program by supporting DTE applied learning and attending semi-regular managers’ meetings to stay informed of recent program progress.
Managers will have the opportunity to connect with program facilitators to help with their individual understanding of the content delivered and how to best support their applicant in applying their new learning in the DTE.
Applicants will need to provide a short statement of support from their manager that can confirm their role, high performance system experience and their ability to support the applicant in applying their learnings throughout the program.
Participants
2024 Participants
Amber Ross, Performance Psychologist, VIS
Andrew Cameron, Physiotherapist, VIS
Carlee Van Dyk, Sport and Exercise Physician, Rowing Australia
Clifford Maina, Leadership and Wellbeing Manager, NTSA
Jade Whitton, Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Coordinator, Hockey Australia
Ensure you are available for the program launch meeting, in-person residentials and online sessions
Read the Terms and Conditions below
Confirm your Manager’s support
Collate short statement of support (250 words max.) from your manager that can confirm your role, high performance system experience and their ability to support you throughout the program.
Consider responses to below questions (250 words max.)
What interests you most about participating in this program?
Consider how will participating in this program enhance your capacity to become an effective and impactful world class practitioner?
Contact
For further information, please contact Jessey Visakan, Performance Support Development Advisor – jessey.visakan@ausport.gov.au
Additional information
Practitioner Development Program 2025 Terms & Conditions
If the Australian Sports Commission (referred to in these terms and conditions as the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) decides to offer the applicant the opportunity to attend the Practitioner Development Program, the offer (Offer) will be made subject to these terms and conditions.
These terms and conditions, together with the notification from the AIS providing details of the Offer (Successful Email), will constitute an enforceable agreement between the AIS and the successful applicant (Recipient) upon the Recipient accepting the Offer, as required by the Successful Email.
The Recipient agrees to attend all components of the Practitioner Development Program as detailed in their Successful Email (Activity).
The Recipient declares and warrants, at the date of agreeing to these terms and conditions, that they have not at any time been found to have breached any anti-doping rule or policy applicable to the Recipient, and has not engaged at any time in any conduct that constituted a breach of any anti-doping rule or policy applicable to the Recipient.
The AIS seeks to maximise the benefit of its Practitioner Development Program to Performance Support Practitioners in high performance sport. Failure by the Recipient to complete the Activity, without the prior agreement of the AIS, may negatively impact on any future application for support that the Recipient makes to the AIS.
The personal details of Recipients (including name, home state, sport, and any photo or video footage of them produced in connection with the Practitioner Development Program) may be released by the AIS to the public and the media for the use of promotional and educational purposes.
The Recipient must, if requested by the AIS, cooperate with the AIS in relation to reasonable publicity initiatives regarding the Practitioner Development Program.
The AIS retains absolute discretion in the final selection of Recipients for the Practitioner Development Program.
The AIS may terminate this agreement by notice in writing, in the event that: the Recipient fails to comply with any of its terms, or that the AIS, at its discretion, deems it inappropriate that the Recipient participate in the Practitioner Development Program.
The AIS reserves the right to cancel, suspend, postpone, or vary the nature of the Practitioner Development Programat any time and for any reason. The AIS will not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or claim arising from the Practitioner Development Program or such variation, cancellation, suspension, or postponement.
This agreement is governed by the law of the Australian Capital Territory.
Assessment and Approvals
All applications will first be assessed against the eligibility criteria and then all eligible applications will be assessed by a panel comprising members of the Australian Institute of Sport and a representative from the National Institute Network.
The decisions are final and there is no appeal process.
Assessment criteria
Potential applicants will be required to submit responses to the following questions as part of their application:
What interests you most about participating in this program? (250 words max.)
How will participating in this program enhance your capacity to become an effective and impactful world class practitioner? (250 words max.)