Women and Girls in SailingCommittee

• 2007 – Women in Sailing Interest Group

• 2011 – VicHealth Women and Girls in Sailing Project

• 2012 – Yachting Victoria Women and Girls in Sailing Committee

Women and Girls in SailingCommittee

Monica Tonner, Chairperson – Sandringham Yacht Club

Cherry Birch – Yachting Victoria Board Member

Catherine Beaufort – Royal Yacht Club of Victoria

Robyn Brooke – Ocean Racing Club of Victoria

Rosemary Colahan – Royal Brighton Yacht Club

Alisanne Green – Port Melbourne Yacht Club

Janina Goethel – Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron

Sally Herbertson – Royal Yacht Club of Victoria

Jane Moffat – McCrae Yacht Club

Amanda Wakeham – Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron

Yachting Victoria Strategic Plan2013 - 2017

PARTICIPATION AND MEMBERSHIP

Deliver continual and sustainable participation and membership growth

Success of the ‘Women and Girls in Sailing’ program

•>25% of commodores, committee members, coaches and instructors are female (Currently at 11%)

•>40% of members female (Currently at 25%)

Surveying sailing and non sailingfemales

• Gemba report released November 2011

• Surveyed sailing and non sailing females July / August 2012

Survey Findings – Non Sailors167 respondents

• 54% were interested in sailing

• 58% would consider doing a Learn to Sail course

• 76% believe that they need to be fit and healthy to sail

• Re Attractiveness of Sailing, the top rated responses were:– The outdoors (particularly young people)– Social possibilities – the opportunity to meet people, – Health/exercise

• Re Sailing Barriers the top rated responses were:– Time commitments – Lack of skill (particularly respondents over 40)– Believe you feel out of place– Not knowing how to get started

• 56% expressed interest in Club Roles with the most popular being:– Helping to organise social events (particularly young people)– Being on the rescue boat– Greeting new members

Actions already being taken

• Launch of WGIS website and newsletter

• Creation of Women and Girls in Sailing Logo

• ‘Local Heroes’ initiative

• YV funded adverts to promote Adult Learn to Sail Course for females

– 3 clubs in 2012/3

– 2 more planned for 2013/4 sailing season

• Editorials in local newspapers featuring females sailing for the first time.

• YV Participation Committee developed document aimed at helping

yacht clubs attract and retain volunteers

Women and Girls in Sailing Website

Women and Girls in Sailing Newsletter

Nora LiveseyMordialloc Sailing Club

Story currently available on our websitewww.womenandgirlsinsailing.com.au

Women and Girls in Sailing Local Heroes Initiative

Actions already being taken

• Launch of WGIS website and newsletter

• ‘Local Heroes’ initiative

• YV funded adverts to promote Adult Learn to Sail Course for females

– 3 clubs in 2012/3

– 2 more planned for 2013/4 sailing season

• Editorials in local newspapers featuring females sailing for the first time.

Things we are doing / want help with / club buy in

• YV plans to develop a guide which clubs can use to promote sailing within their local community

• Continued promotion of “learn to sail” courses (both OTB and Keelboat) on social media platforms such as Facebook

• WGIS rep at each club as main contact person – directory of these contact people on WGIS website

• WGIS Club rep to work with club to complete the “Increasing Female Participation” Club Workbook

• Ensure your clubs website has plenty of details of Learn To Sail courses for both OTB and keelboat

• YV Participation Committee developed document aimed at helping yacht clubs attract and retain volunteers

Survey Findings – Current Sailors424 respondents

• 73% are interested in training options – – Racing keelboats, Learn to sail keelboat /keelboat crew and Racing dinghies most

popular

• Suggested enhancements to sailing enjoyment:– More skills training and experience– Greater promotion of female sailors – more respect/open mindedness– Greater affordability– Greater access to sailing mentors and coaching

• 17% are aware of discrimination, 13% aware of bullying, and 11% aware of sexual harassment/ unwelcome attention

• 66% are interested in club roles:– Being on the rescue boat (large number 19 or<)– Serving on a committee– Race management

• 74% rated their club 7 or higher out of 10 in terms of being female friendly – however 14% rated their club 5 or less.

73% are interested in training options:

Actions already being taken

•Learn to Sail courses – with YV WGIS specific promotion/advertising

•Coaching and training run in conjunction with PPWCS

•Support of Victorian International Optimist Dinghy Association (VIODA) Girl only coaching weekend successful event

•WGIS promoting training/coaching opportunities through website and newsletter

73% are interested in training options:

Things we are doing / want help with / club buy in •YV to continue to promote learn to sail courses (both OTB and Keelboat) on online media platforms including social media

•Case study to be developed from VIODA Girl only coaching weekend to be rolled out to other clubs

•WGIS will create a section on our website which will contain all information regarding training

•“PPWCS model” series to be explored for OTB to include racing dinghy training opportunities and/or other areas of Victoria (e.g. Westernport)

66% are interested in club roles:

Actions already being taken

•YV to fund/run a rescue boat course for 10 females in August

•YV good governance program for clubs which includes looking at increasing the number of women on their general committee – 18 clubs involved.

•YV has started to mentor 3 females to become umpires

•YV will continue to subsidise identified females to become qualified instructors

66% are interested in club roles:

Things we are doing / want help with / club buy in

•YV to organise/run training to support and encourage potential female leaders

•WGIS Club representative to support and encourage female representation on club committees

•WGIS Club rep to work with club to complete the “Increasing Female Participation” Club Workbook

•YV to continue to develop pathways for females to get into race management by creating opportunities at summer 2013-14 school sailing events

74% rated their club 7 or higher out of 10 in terms of being female friendly – however 14% rated their club 5 or less.

Actions already being taken

Suggestions for improvement:

•43% More females involved in club leadership

•25% More balanced gender mix in club membership

•21% More female races

•21% A female you can contact within the club

Key actions listed previously address all the above points.

17% are aware of discrimination, 13% aware of bullying, and 11% aware of sexual harassment/ unwelcome attention against women in the sailing community in the last 2 years.

77% unaware of whether their club has an anti bullying/harassment policy/procedure.

Actions already being taken

•YV staff have undergone MPIO training

•YV has created policies, in particular a Respect in the Workplace policy, which includes a complaints procedure.

•YV rolling out MPIO program across all clubs

•YV reviewing promotional material to ensure females and males sailors are portrayed as equals

17% are aware of discrimination, 13% aware of bullying, and 11% aware of sexual harassment/ unwelcome attention against women in the sailing community in the last 2 years.

77% unaware of whether their club has an anti bullying/harassment policy/procedure.

Things we are doing / want help with / club buy in

•YV communicating with all clubs available MPIO courses

•YV to communicate with member clubs their “Creating safe and respectful environments” policies and documents and assist clubs adopt this policy

•Encourage yacht club committees to regularly promote where their policies can be viewed

Many would like to see greater promotion of sailing generally and to women specifically in terms of highlighting the following positives:

Actions already being taken

•WGIS website – address how to get started and misperceptions re fitness or lack of skill

•Ensure website has plenty of details of Learn To Sail courses for both OTB and keelboat – covering all ages and all fitness levels

•WGIS rep at each club as main contact person – directory of these contact people on WGIS website

•Ensure all clubs display the WGIS rep contact details on their website and all Discover Sailing materials

•Local Heroes Initiative

Questions & Answers

Further Information

• Sam Watson – YV Staff Member03 9597 0066swatson@yachtingvictoria.com.au • Cherry Birch – YV Board Membercherry@birchconsulting.com.au • Monica Tonner – Women and Girls in Sailing Chairpersonmonica.tonner@syc.com.au