Australian Sailing has been successful in securing a grant of $48,250 from the NSW Office of Sport Her Sport Her Way Grant program for our SheSails Youth Leadership Growth Project.

Program objectives 

The key objectives of the Program are: 

• Increase the number of women and girls playing sport and improve the retention of adolescent girls 
• Increase the number of women in leadership positions both on and off the water
• Improve gender inclusive sporting cultures and environments.

Our Strategic Plan Sailing 2032 identifies Increasing Diversity and Inclusion as a key strategic foundation. By 2032 we aim to have 50% female participants in our sport. 
Of our 37,923 sailing club members in NSW only 28% are female. We need to increase this to reflect society and deliver equity for women and girls in NSW. 
Currently we have -

• 2884 Instructors, 30% female
• 111 Coaches, 27% female
• 892 Officials, 18% female. 

If you can't see it, you can't be it

Increasing the number of women and girls actively engaged in leadership at our clubs will help create a positive, female friendly, inclusive environment, which will increase the likelihood more women and girls participate and are retained in our clubs. 

The relationships and atmosphere in a club has a fundamental impact on the enjoyment women get from their sport. 
Clubs are about the people and increasing the number of women and girls teaching, coaching and officiating in our clubs will help create a female friendly environment.
This grant will be used to reduce the barriers to women and girls becoming leaders in our sport by subsidising course fees for women and girls to gain Australian Sailing qualifications as sailing instructors, coaches and officials in sailing clubs. 
The grant will also be used to deliver free leadership workshops which will develop the leadership skills of young women and girls at our clubs. Increasing the number of women and girls actively engaged in leadership at our clubs will help create a positive, female friendly, inclusive environment.
One of these workshops will be delivered online so we can reach young women and girls from all affiliated clubs, as 54 of the 109 sailing clubs are in regional NSW. We will also create resources to assist clubs to develop and mentor young female leaders on their management committees. 

Course Fee Subsidy

From now until December 2023, women and girls registering for an Australian Sailing instructor, assistant instructor, coach, or official’s course in NSW can use the discount code HERSPORT50 to receive 50% discount for the course fee.

Young Female Leaders Workshops

These free workshops will be held in the October school holidays. Information about how clubs can nominate their young female potential leaders for the leadership workshops will be sent out soon.