Engaging with your community is about more than giving back, it’s about building relationships, finding purpose, and creating balance outside of sport. Strong community connections can improve mental health, boost resilience, and provide a sense of belonging that supports athletes through the ups and downs of their journey.
A powerful way to engage is by finding an organisation or cause that aligns with your personal values. Whether it’s mentoring young athletes, supporting local initiatives, or connecting with cultural groups, there are many opportunities to get involved. These experiences not only benefit the community but also help you develop leadership skills, broaden your perspective, and create networks that last well beyond your sporting career.
Cultural wellbeing is about feeling connected, respected, and grounded in who you are. It recognises that culture, identity, and belonging play an important role in overall wellbeing. Exploring and embracing your cultural identity can strengthen confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose. There are many ways to connect, learn, and share experiences through organisations and programs that celebrate Australia’s rich cultural diversity and promote inclusion across sport and community.
Social wellbeing is about connection, belonging and feeling supported by the people around you. Healthy relationships play a key role in mental and emotional wellbeing, and for athletes these connections can provide encouragement, perspective, and stability through the highs and lows of elite sport.
Australian Athletics Cultural ABC –
Awareness, Belonging, Connection. Underpinned by knowledge sharing.
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The QLife family includes hundreds of highly experienced staff and volunteers Australia-wide. If you're looking to connect with someone to explore what's going on in your life, they’re there to chat and to take your call from 3pm-midnight each day. They also welcome contact from people who may not be LGBTIQ+ but who want to talk about someone else they care about.
Thrive with Pride offers rainbow athletes and allies a chance to join an inclusive community and lead positive change within Australian sport. The program empowers athlete ambassadors to drive LGBTQ+ inclusion, deliver education initiatives, and promote safe, respectful environments where everyone can compete as their authentic selves. Since its launch in 2022, over 50 ambassadors across multiple sports have worked to build knowledge, visibility, and culture change in sporting communities.
The AIS Problem Solvers is an interactive program where high-performance athletes partner with primary school students to explore design thinking and creative problem solving. Ambassador athletes deliver fun, real-world challenges focused on health, inclusion, and sport, then mentor students as they ideate, design, and present solutions. Through this role, ambassadors inspire the next generation, bring their own stories to life in the classroom, and reinforce that there’s no single right answer, just innovative thinking and impact.
The AIS Community Partnerships Program connects high-performance athletes with community organisations across Australia that align with their passions and values. It offers meaningful engagement opportunities beyond sport—such as speaking at schools, mentoring, or supporting community causes. By partnering athletes with communities in need, the program helps athletes build leadership skills, strengthen cultural awareness, and create a positive impact that lasts well beyond their sporting career.
The AIS Share a Yarn Program was established in 2020 to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes with a culturally safe space to yarn, reflect, and grow. This powerful initiative connects elite athletes with respected First Nations mentors who support them in navigating life as a First Nations high-performance athlete, strengthening their cultural identity, and becoming advocates within their sporting communities. Throughout the year, athletes meet regularly with their mentors online, take part in monthly storytelling sessions, and come together at a Cultural Connection Camp held at the AIS campus in Canberra each year.
Eligible for NASS Athletes OR OLY, PLY, CGA Representatives
