Sport’s important role in promoting social inclusion and uniting Australian communities has been recognised by the federal government in a new round of funding grants.

Physical activity allows all Australians the opportunity to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.

For migrants and disabled citizens, sport builds connections and enhances their sense of belonging in Australia. Diverse participation in local and representative sporting clubs will enrich Australia’s multicultural successes and work towards achieving the Government’s plan to make Australia the world’s most active sporting nation.

The Australian Government recently announced a grants program to help bring Australians together through sport. The Driving Social Inclusion through Sport and Physical Activity grants program will allocate almost $20 million to clubs and community groups.

The program is a part of the Government’s broader social cohesion and physical health initiatives.

Research shows engaging in any form of physical activity or sport improves both mental and physical health. Adults who participate in physical activity every day show a 20-30 per cent reduction in levels of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Sport also reduces the rate of mental decline in ageing citizens. It is widely regarded that adults should engage in 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

The new grants program will allow these benefits to be accessed by all Australians from a diverse variety of backgrounds. In addition, the program will educate migrants of the importance of physical activity in their lives.

The community that comes with playing sport promotes social cohesion and inclusion, sharing victories on the field, and building networks and relationships off the field, research shows.

It gives migrants the opportunity to practise their English speaking skills and develop a better sense of belonging in Australian society. However, for many migrants, engaging in physical activity is a challenge.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman said language barriers and lack of knowledge about the Australian lifestyle and society can discourage participation in local sporting clubs.

“It is important we provide a helping hand for people to get involved,” Minister Coleman said.

The grants program will offer a wide range of activities and resources to communities to overcome these barriers, including translators and instructors to allow any sport to be accessible to anyone, he said.

Australia is known as a sporting nation, and sport has become a part of our national identity. Much of our sporting success has come from athletes who have migrated to Australia.

Multiculturalism is prevalent in our sporting industry, and is a key component of the Australian story. The grants program gives us the opportunity to share our sports with those who have migrated to Australia and invite them to contribute to our sporting world.

The grants are open to applications from non-for-profit organisations, including local community and sporting organisations, and are available for newly arrived migrants and refugees, people with a physical or mental disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and women.

“Sport plays an important role in the lives of so many Australians and is becoming a focus in the cohesion and unity of multicultural communities,” Minister Coleman said.

The mental and physical benefits of exercise will be made accessible to all members of society through the Government’s Driving Social Inclusion through Sport and Physical Activity grants program.

By Narisha Ford