The Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) has become the newest member of the Australian Pride in Sport program, committing to further develop and enhance the inclusion of LGBTQ people.
ACON Health’s Pride in Sport program is the only sporting inclusion program specifically designed to assist sporting organisations with the inclusion of employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators with diverse genders and sexualities.
Being a Pride in Sport member means changing practices and working towards a more inclusive, safe, and healthy sporting environment for people with diverse sexualities and genders.
NFNL CEO Martin Stillman proudly announced today that the Northern Football Netball League (NFNL), in line with its commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive community, has officially partnered with Pride in Sport.
“Part of our responsibility as a community league is to advocate for and support education around LGBTQ inclusion, we are delighted to join forces with Pride in Sport,” Stillman said.
“This partnership marks a significant step in strengthening our mission to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for everyone involved in our league.”
Through this collaboration, the NFNL and Pride in Sport will work together on delivering education and welfare programs tailored for our affiliated clubs.
Pride in Sport will also offer expert advice and support to the NFNL and its clubs, helping ensure best practices are followed in this important area of community engagement.
This partnership directly supports the NFNL’s Strategic Plan vision – to create an inclusive sporting landscape where all individuals feel safe, respected, and empowered to participate.
“We are proud to stand alongside Pride in Sport to amplify positive messaging and set a standard that reflects our shared values of equality, inclusion, and respect,” Stillman added.
This exciting partnership not only reflects the NFNL’s commitment to community values but also represents a powerful step forward in creating lasting cultural change across local sport.
Beau Newell, National Program Manager of Pride in Sport Australia, said actual and perceived social exclusion is a leading cause of preventable death in Australia, and creating a much healthier and safer sporting culture for LGBTQ people has never been more important.
“By joining Pride in Sport and working with ACON, the NFNL is showing the community that they care about the health and wellbeing of their athletes, and members across Victoria,” Newell said.
“Congratulations to the NFNL for leading the way in changing Australia’s sporting culture, to be more inclusive.”
