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Office of Sport

The NSW sport and active recreation sector is made up of many diverse organisations with different organisational structures, membership bases and sizes, geographic reach, organisational health maturity and financial health.

The information and links below provide a wealth of information and knowledge to support your organisation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on this page is relevant for State Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations for people with Disability, associations, community clubs, and sport and active recreation businesses.

Employing people

State Sporting Organisations have the same legal obligations as any employer to their workers. The information and links below can assist your organisation in understanding the law surrounding employment.

Visit For sporting organisations that employ people 

Governance advice and support

NSW Fair Trading help centre has COVID-19 related information for consumers, business and not-for-profit rights, including tenancy and rent advice.

For more information visit NSW Fair Trading

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has dedicated COVID-19 information and resources to assist sporting organisations.

For more information visit Australian Securities and Investment Commission

The Australian Charities and Not for profit Commission has information for not-for-profit sporting organisations who are also registered charities whose operations may be affected by COVID-19.

For more information visit: Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission 

The Institute of Community Directors Australia is Australia’s best-practice governance network for not-for-profit boards, committees, councils, schools, and their staff.

Our Community provides advice and tools for Australia's 600,000 not-for-profit groups and schools. The organisation provides easy-to-digest information, practical tools, training and connections for not-for-profit groups across the country, both face to face and through their websites.

Go to Community Directors  for detailed information and links to assist not for profit organisations impacted by COVID-19

For more general information visit Our Community

Legal and financial advice and support

Service NSW can help businesses and organisations impacted by COVID-19 through their NSW Business Concierge Service. This includes free legal advice, a business concierge service, grants, as well as other resources and support.

For more information visit Service NSW Business Concierge

Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you on your journey to business success.

For more information visit NSW Business Connect

Justice Connect is a Not-for-profit Law specialist legal service for community organisations including not for profit sporting organisations.

They provide free or low cost, high quality practical legal help for not-for-profit community organisations and advocate for improved standards and legal frameworks.

Justice Connect has resources, webinars and updates on legal issues impacting on sporting organisations. 

For more information visit Justice Connect

The premier not-for-profit sports law organisation in the Australasian region, dedicated to providing education, advocacy and networking opportunities about legal issues in sport. 

For more information Australian and New Zealand Law Association

Business and organisational advice

Service NSW can help businesses and organisations impacted by COVID-19 through their NSW Business Concierge Service. This includes free legal advice, a business concierge service, grants, as well as other resources and support.

For more information visit Service NSW Business Concierge

Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you on your journey to business success.

For more information visit NSW Business Connect

Is a whole of government web site for the Australian Business community providing information, resources and support services including financial assistance, eligibility and timing for the new Commonwealth Government support for Australian businesses and which are also applicable to NSW not-for-profit organisations.

For more information visit Business.gov.au 

The Office of Sport provides a range of support and services to assist State Sporting Organisations, community sport clubs, industry peak bodies and recreation sector organisations through these difficult and challenging times.

There are several resources and tools to help your organisation including:

  • The COVID-19 Recovery Support Tool which has been designed as a short-term tool that aims to provide support and insight for SSOs, clubs and associations regarding issues they should consider and actions they can take to support their recovery from the impacts of COVID-19
  • Running Your SSO targeting State Sporting Organisations
  • Running Your Club resource aimed at NSW sporting clubs
  • Financial Ratio Health Check Tool has been designed to help staff and volunteer boards and committee of management monitor their organisations financial health and performance expectations
  • The Cash Flow Modelling Tool to gain a better understanding of the cash flow of your organisation, as well as undertake future cash flow modelling and scenario planning.

Facebook has developed a number of resources for organisations to help manage and building resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak. These resources are focused on helping organisations boost their online presence, keeping in touch with participants and customers and bringing their organisation online. 

For more information visit: Facebook Business Resource Hub 

Rental support

The Small Business Commissioner has information, support and resources available to help small business during the recovery phase. 

The Small Business Commissioner also has an FAQ and resources for commercial tenants and what tenants can do if they are struggling to pay rent, including advice on how to negotiate a rent reduction

Additionally, the Commissioner offers a mediation service between tenants and landlords who are in dispute.

For more information visit Small Business Commissioner commercial leases and covid-19 FAQs

Information on NSW land tax support relating to COVID-19 to assist commercial and residential landlords manage their rental properties. 

For more information visit Revenue NSW

Business Australia has developed an impacted employee kit to assist both employees and employers including not for profit sporting organisations during COVID-19.

They have also developed a series of templates and letters for tenants to help broker alternative rental payment options with their landlords. 

For more information visit Business Australia

Insurance

The icare sporting injuries insurance scheme is a no-fault scheme that the NSW Government introduced over 30 years ago to provide benefits for people seriously injured playing sport. 

icare understands the impact that COVID-19 is having on NSW sporting organisations and are there to support sporting organisations. 

icare encourages sporting organisations experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 disruptions to contact them on 02 7922 5392 to discuss how we can support you and your policy needs.

For more information on COVID-19 and the NSW sporting injuries insurance visit icare

Organisations are encouraged to contact their insurance company or their insurance brokers to discuss your organisation’s situation to see if they can provide assistance. Like other organisations, many insurers have initiatives to assist organisations that are facing difficulty due to COVID-19. 

Risk management and assessments

 

Sport and active recreation organisations and businesses need to be aware their legal obligations and commitment to safety in the context of COVID-19. 

Organisations should consider getting independent legal advice or speak with their insurance provider or broker in preparing their risk assessment including types of insurance, coverage, and cost of premiums. Since 2006, sporting organisations have been encouraged to manage their risk and to pool insurance types and coverage across all levels of their sport as a positive measure in keeping insurance premiums affordable.

Safe Work Australia is an Australian government statutory body established in 2008 to develop national policy relating to WHS and workers’ compensation.

Safe Work Australia has developed resources on undertaking risk assessments. Risk management is a proactive process that helps you respond to change and facilitate continuous improvement in your business. It should be planned, systematic and cover all reasonably foreseeable hazards and associated risks. 

A risk assessment involves considering what could happen if someone is exposed to a hazard (for example, COVID-19) and the likelihood of it happening. A risk assessment can help you to determine; how severe a risk is; whether any existing control measures are effective; what action you should take to control the risk, and how urgently the action need.

For more information and to access the resources, visit: Safe Work Australia.

The Office of Sport has risk management resources developed for the sporting sector. This includes crisis management resources, business continuity plans, a risk register template, as well as a Risk Management Policy template.

For more information, visit the Office of Sport’s Running Your SSO Risk Management module

Safe Work NSW is the New South Wales’ workplace health and safety regulator. They provide:

Safe Work NSW has developed a guide to assist organisations with safe work practices during COVID-19.

For more information visit Safe Work NSW 

Volunteering and giving back

For information on volunteers and giving back, visit Wellbeing, welfare and safety.

Learning and development

There are numerous on-line resources which may support Sporting organisations to provide staff and stakeholders with learning and development opportunities to enable them to remain connected with sport, to develop new skills or pursue other interests.

Visit our Learning and Development page for more information on online courses and resources available.

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