❓ Mr. Miles asks about the KidSport program's implementation. The Minister responds positively, detailing program successes, voucher distribution, local government involvement, and future plans, highlighting its benefits for vulnerable youth and community integration.
AnsweredQoN 79Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KIDSPORT PROGRAM
79. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I think you drive through Wanneroo sometimes, Mr Speaker!
My question is in regard to the
great new program that the government is operating called KidSport. In May last
year the minister told this house about this exciting program that would ensure
that young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds would have the opportunity
to join sporting and recreation clubs. Can the minister please update members
on the implementation of the Liberal–National government's
KidSport initiative?
79. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I think you drive through Wanneroo sometimes, Mr Speaker!
My question is in regard to the
great new program that the government is operating called KidSport. In May last
year the minister told this house about this exciting program that would ensure
that young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds would have the opportunity
to join sporting and recreation clubs. Can the minister please update members
on the implementation of the Liberal–National government's
KidSport initiative?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Wanneroo
because he has been heavily involved in the program by working with the City of
Wanneroo to get it up and running there. I am extremely proud of the government's
decision to support vulnerable groups within the community utilising sport. We
do it in lots of different ways and especially with this new program KidSport,
which I think is a terrific program through which we are trying to get young
kids who cannot afford to get involved in a sporting club into clubs by paying
their subs $200 per child per season. I am also appreciative of comments from
people from both sides of the house who have talked to me about this program.
Also, the local governments have been very cooperative in rolling out the
program. Probably more importantly, community members who I have bumped into
and talked to, as we all do, have recognised and acknowledged the value of this
program. I often talk about the importance of sport and sporting clubs to
physical and mental health, but they are also important to the social life of
people, as well as to justice, and there are many other benefits that clubs
bring. It is really important to get people involved.
It is interesting that for every $1 million
invested in this program, we will see 3 000 to 3 500 young people who have not
been accessing sporting clubs due to the fact that they have been disadvantaged
or at risk, taking part in the activities of sporting clubs. I will just let
the member for Wanneroo know that 8 235 vouchers have been distributed as at
February 2012. We anticipate another 1 000 by June, which will far exceed our
target of 6 000, but that is a good thing. For example, the City of Gosnells,
which was the first local government to sign up to the program, has already
administered 277 vouchers, and 80 of the youngsters involved have not been
members of a sporting club before. That is what we are trying to do; we are
trying to instil those sporting values. Eight metropolitan local governments
commenced a rollout of the program for the summer of 2011–12 and 67
other local governments are at various stages of implementation throughout WA.
We expect applications for vouchers to increase significantly as we go into
that registration period for all of our winter sports.
Interestingly, we have developed a regional model of the
program along with our local governments in regional areas. We are seeing
groups of local governments getting together, with one local government
administering this program through the Department of Sport and Recreation on
behalf of a lot of the smaller councils. I think that shows some common sense
and it is making the program work better. It is a good example of local
governments and the Minister for Local Government working together, and things
are working well.
Just to let people know, because it involves new immigrants
to our country, the applications are available in nine different languages.
Therefore, we are trying to cater for that area because sport, I think, has a
huge role to play in integrating new people into our community through clubs et
cetera. It certainly enables the government to invest confidently in a package
that will deliver a legacy for our state. I truly believe, as someone who has
been involved in sport a lot, that we underestimate at times the value of
sport. We talk about lots of issues in our society and I think we need to
utilise sport more and more. I am really pleased our government has given the
support to do this. It is an outcome and I urge members of both sides to
continue to promote this important program. If members have any issues at any
time with it, please let me know.
because he has been heavily involved in the program by working with the City of
Wanneroo to get it up and running there. I am extremely proud of the government's
decision to support vulnerable groups within the community utilising sport. We
do it in lots of different ways and especially with this new program KidSport,
which I think is a terrific program through which we are trying to get young
kids who cannot afford to get involved in a sporting club into clubs by paying
their subs $200 per child per season. I am also appreciative of comments from
people from both sides of the house who have talked to me about this program.
Also, the local governments have been very cooperative in rolling out the
program. Probably more importantly, community members who I have bumped into
and talked to, as we all do, have recognised and acknowledged the value of this
program. I often talk about the importance of sport and sporting clubs to
physical and mental health, but they are also important to the social life of
people, as well as to justice, and there are many other benefits that clubs
bring. It is really important to get people involved.
It is interesting that for every $1 million
invested in this program, we will see 3 000 to 3 500 young people who have not
been accessing sporting clubs due to the fact that they have been disadvantaged
or at risk, taking part in the activities of sporting clubs. I will just let
the member for Wanneroo know that 8 235 vouchers have been distributed as at
February 2012. We anticipate another 1 000 by June, which will far exceed our
target of 6 000, but that is a good thing. For example, the City of Gosnells,
which was the first local government to sign up to the program, has already
administered 277 vouchers, and 80 of the youngsters involved have not been
members of a sporting club before. That is what we are trying to do; we are
trying to instil those sporting values. Eight metropolitan local governments
commenced a rollout of the program for the summer of 2011–12 and 67
other local governments are at various stages of implementation throughout WA.
We expect applications for vouchers to increase significantly as we go into
that registration period for all of our winter sports.
Interestingly, we have developed a regional model of the
program along with our local governments in regional areas. We are seeing
groups of local governments getting together, with one local government
administering this program through the Department of Sport and Recreation on
behalf of a lot of the smaller councils. I think that shows some common sense
and it is making the program work better. It is a good example of local
governments and the Minister for Local Government working together, and things
are working well.
Just to let people know, because it involves new immigrants
to our country, the applications are available in nine different languages.
Therefore, we are trying to cater for that area because sport, I think, has a
huge role to play in integrating new people into our community through clubs et
cetera. It certainly enables the government to invest confidently in a package
that will deliver a legacy for our state. I truly believe, as someone who has
been involved in sport a lot, that we underestimate at times the value of
sport. We talk about lots of issues in our society and I think we need to
utilise sport more and more. I am really pleased our government has given the
support to do this. It is an outcome and I urge members of both sides to
continue to promote this important program. If members have any issues at any
time with it, please let me know.
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