Seeing the Possibility of Inclusion in Practice

Recent work with City of Melbourne highlighted something we are seeing more and more across clubs.

Inclusion is widely recognised as important, but often not clearly understood in practice.

The workshops brought together a diverse mix of clubs across sports including cricket, tennis, rowing and kickball. Despite their differences, there was a clear consistency in the challenges being faced.

Many clubs were looking for better ways to connect with their members, better understand the diversity within their communities, and more deliberately recognise the contribution of their volunteers.

At the beginning, inclusion was often viewed as something separate to the day-to-day operation of the club. An additional initiative, rather than something embedded in how the club functions.

As the sessions progressed, there was a noticeable shift. Clubs began to see that inclusion is shaped by structure, communication and decision making, not just programs or policies. It became less about adding more, and more about doing things differently.

Clubs started identifying simple, practical changes that could be made immediately. Whether through clearer communication, more intentional engagement with members, or creating better recognition of volunteers, the idea of inclusion became more tangible and achievable.

What stood out was not a lack of intent. Clubs genuinely want to create inclusive environments. The challenge is often knowing where to start, and how to embed inclusion into the way the club actually operates.

This reflects a broader pattern across the sector. Clubs are not short on passion or commitment, but often lack clarity and structure. When those elements are in place, inclusion, participation and sustainability become much easier to build.

The opportunity is not to add more to already stretched volunteers, but to simplify what matters and create environments where inclusion becomes a natural outcome of how the club operates.