Sports Focus is a Regional Sports Assembly established in 1983 to provide better support to sports clubs in central Victoria. Sports Focus are a non-profit organisation supporting and empowering sporting clubs to be more safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for the broader community to enjoy sport and active recreation.

Sports Focus will partner with Treehouse Paediatrics a local, autistic-led paediatric allied health service, to deliver workshops to coaches, volunteers and parents that are involved in children’s community sport across Greater Bendigo. These workshops and resources have been developed through a neuro-affirming, co-design process. By building understanding and practical strategies to support neurodivergent children, the project will create more inclusive community sporting opportunities and environments that promote active living, mental wellbeing and a stronger sense of belonging and connection.

Benefit Bendigo funding will allow for the rollout of three workshops in Greater Bendigo, providing opportunities to strengthen inclusion at the community level, thereby increasing participation, enhancing wellbeing and advancing health equity for neurodivergent children and their families.