A NEW funding program will make community sport more accessible to families during the COVID-19 pandemic, a central Victorian sporting organisation says.
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Deputy Premier James Merlino on Sunday announced the government would provide $200 vouchers for about 100,000 children, which could go towards things like sporting equipment, uniforms, or memberships.
Mr Merlino said the Active Kids Voucher Program would be launched in early 2021, with eligibility criteria and details on how to apply to be announced in the coming months.
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Sports Focus business manager Stuart Craig said the group had been calling for similar initiatives for years.
"We're absolutely thrilled," he said. "We have been strong advocates to the state government and local members for the introduction of a voucher system to address cost barriers.
"Most other states already have a voucher system in place, so this will bring them all into line.
"But it will also address critical issues, especially during the impact of the pandemic where employment has been affected and families don't have as much disposal income.
"Our thinking is that one of the first things to be let go is sport. Yet it plays such an important part in socialisation, but also mental health and wellbeing of the community."
Mr Merlino said 577 schools would also receive a total of $13 million in grants.
That funding would go towards purchasing sporting equipment, running sport and physical activity programs, and encouraging partnerships between schools and local clubs.
Mr Craig said Sports Focus would be waiting for further details about the new program.
"We need to help those who need help," he said. "It's not going to be something that's just going to be taken for granted.
"We hope that it's not something that is just connected to the pandemic. We want this to be something that is on the Victorian sporting landscape for years to come."
Mr Craig said the year had been "enormously challenging" for community sport.
"We have had a very long winter trying to keep sport going in the Loddon Campaspe region," he said.
"My personal opinion is that the impact of COVID-19 will be seen in February and March next year in the really large participation sports like footy, netball, and soccer.
"We will start to see how many players or volunteers return. By a long shot, we're not out of the woods yet.
"The public and sporting community needs to be very mindful of restrictions and ensure they are adhered to, because we could very easily fall back into bad habits that make it all come undone."
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