S3 E3: Building social cohesion through the power of sport with Emma Kearney

Building social cohesion through the power of sport

In episode 3, acclaimed AFLW player Emma Kearney talks to SFRI CEO Anthea Hancocks about the role of sport in breaking down barriers and bringing people together.

As the North Melbourne AFLW captain and eight-time recipient of the All-Australian team honours, Emma has recently added first female Player Development Coordinator for the NMFC men’s program to her list of honours.

Having worked extensively in the community arm of the NMFC ‘The Huddle’ program which aims to connect and empower young people through sport, Emma shares her insight into what gets the best out of people, and how that ultimately contributes to a more cohesive society.

Key takeaways:

  1. A relationship-based approach: Emma says her experience with The Huddle and in community has highlighted the importance of relationships in engaging people. She discussed her skills developed through teaching and how this taught her the value of building relationships in order to earn trust. Emma maintains this is particularly relevant when seeking to engage communities who don’t always trust ‘external’ parties. Emma referred to the importance of understanding who people are and recognising that they’re human beings first and athletes second to build a more personal connection as a coach. She said personal relationships also help to develop a greater sense of empathy.

  2. Turning the symbolic into meaningful change: Emma was complimentary of the steps the AFL has taken to establish a more inclusive culture with symbolic events such as Indigenous round. She said those events were great for starting the conversation, but it was crucial that it be continued after the round at the Club level. To create a truly inclusive culture people must be continually educated and engaged so they can more easily participate in conversations and feel a sense of belonging. Emma said the AFL has a fantastic opportunity to really impact the community in a positive way through role modelling and getting out in the community. She maintained it was the little things in multicultural communities that helps to encourage people to get involved.

  3. There’s more to sport than the competitive arena: Anthea raised the challenge of educating migrant families and parents on the contribution sport makes to broader society. Emma agreed noting that parents are often keen for their children to focus on getting a good education rather than participating in sport, not knowing sports' full potential for their children. Emma said The Huddle program had been useful in helping to educate about the wider benefits of sport. Getting the youth more active and social through sport increases their willingness to study among other things. She also said raising awareness of the extremely varied roles and career opportunities in the sporting sector beyond the elite athletes was important.

  4. The role of sport in creating a cohesive society: Using the example of the Matildas and their extraordinary ability to galvanise the community, Anthea asked about the power of sport in bringing people together. Emma said that sport allows people to fit in and belong because it doesn’t have a language. It’s something everyone can understand and participate in. She said the biggest barrier to involvement is usually money and access to facilities. In Emma’s view, young people just need to be given the opportunity to play, particularly in remote areas where facilities may be limited. Emma said sport is associated with health benefits, positive impacts on anti-social behaviour, confidence and feelings of belonging so removing barriers and getting as many people involved as possible can only benefit social cohesion.

To hear more from Emma about the role of sport in building a cohesive society please tune into our podcast here or watch via the video below!