Active After-school Communities

The Australian Government’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program gives children a passion for sport.

By providing primary school children with a positive introduction to sport, the AASC program helps build the foundation needed for children to progress to local club sport.

The AASC program is a free Australian Government initiative that provides primary school children with access to sport and structured physical activity programs after school (3.00pm–5.30pm).

The program is run at around 370 sites across Western Australia, giving children a positive first experience to start them on the sporting pathway.

The Australian Sports Commission manages the AASC program nationally through a countrywide network of regional coordinators who assist schools and after-school care centres to facilitate the program, recruit and train community coaches and, most importantly, forge links between children and clubs. AASC kids love sport In Western Australia, approximately 18 500 children participate in the AASC program and are enjoying
playing over 70 different sports.

The AASC program targets children who do not usually join local sporting clubs and gives them positive and fun experiences.

By working to develop a love of sport, the AASC program inspires children with all levels of skill to join local sporting clubs.

The AASC program is a fun, free and safe introduction to sport that makes it easy for clubs to promote themselves and get direct access to tomorrow’s players.

Why your sports club should be involved

The AASC program is a dynamic and positive opportunity for local sporting clubs and associations to grow membership, improve resources and aid long-term viability.

The AASC program creates links between primary school children and sports clubs, and is continually focused on promoting sport participation.

The benefits of club involvement in the AASC program include:

• increased junior membership and possible creation of new junior teams/clubs through coordinated access to schools and families
• opportunities for your club to apply for grants for new equipment to assist with the delivery of your sports and activities
• opportunities for your club coaches to access free professional development through the Australian Sports Commission’s Community Coach Training Program
• opportunity for your coaches to gain payment
• exposure of your sport, club facilities and club coaches to primary school children, parents, school teachers and other local community members
• increase in volunteers, parents and athletes who are able to become trained coaches at your club through the free Community Coach Training Program. See ausport.gov.au/aasc/communitycoach for our current course dates
• promotional opportunities including ‘come and try’ days during which clubs have a chance to showcase their sports
• a free copy of the Playing for Life CD-ROM resource which contains over 100 game cards that can be used in the delivery of the AASC program
• support and information through AASC Online, a website built specifically for AASC program deliverers
• ongoing support provided by an Australian Sports Commission regional coordinator.

How your club can be involved

The AASC program is a springboard for club growth: through the AASC program children learn to love playing sport — the first step to joining a sports club.

Your club can be involved in the AASC program in numerous ways. A person affiliated with your club who has the time and interest can deliver a AASC program for as little as one hour a week for up to seven weeks. Or, if delivery is too time intensive, the AASC program can identify someone in the community to deliver the program on behalf of your club. This way your club can be involved by promoting membership opportunities through a variety of ways, such as:

• being involved in a ‘come and try’ gala day at the end of term
• inviting junior coaches to attend a session to meet children at local schools or after-school care centres participating in your sport
• inviting AASC schools and after-school care centres to use your club facilities and hosting an activity session or registration day
• holding registration days at AASC schools or after-school care centres that participate in your sport
• attending a school or after-school care centre that is running your sport and handing out registration fl yers to children.

Clubs should liaise directly with their local regional coordinator to plan how they may best be involved in the AASC program.

Regional coordinators will also have many more ideas for promotion — the options are endless!

Facts and figures

Since the AASC program has been running:

• 59 per cent of coaches from sporting clubs or physical activity organisations involved in the AASC program have reported an increase in the number of children attending and participating at their club or organisation
• 65 per cent of parents with children participating in the AASC program said that their children had expressed interest in new sports and physical activities in the previous 12 months
• over 53 000 people, many sport affiliated, have been trained by the AASC program to become community coaches, and many use these skills to coach in their local schools and clubs
• over half a million sport and activity sessions have been delivered around the country
• there are up to 190 000 children currently participating in the program, which is run in up to 3270 schools and after-school care centres in every state and territory in Australia
• children are spending more time being active and wanting to join sports clubs to continue their sport or activity.

Statements drawn from the Colmar Brunton Social Research 2005–07 interim evaluation of the AASC program and the 2010 Newspoll Impact Assessment and Program Monitoring report.

For your local coordinator’s details, contact the AASC state office Western Australia.

Tel: (08) 6389 7001
Fax: (08) 6389 7000