Creating a safe and welcoming space for women in our community.
We’re proud to continue offering a weekly swimming session at Ascot Vale Leisure Centre designed to support greater participation in aquatic recreation for women who may face cultural barriers to accessing public swimming environments.
Held every Sunday evening, this dedicated swim session provides exclusive access to the pool hall for women, providing a welcoming, supportive, safe and inclusive experience where participants can enjoy the benefits of swimming, exercise and social connection.
Why do we offer Women’s Cultural Swimming Night?
At MOVE Moonee Valley, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the physical, social and mental wellbeing benefits that recreation provides.
For some women, cultural or religious beliefs can make participation in traditional public swimming sessions difficult or inaccessible. Women’s Cultural Swimming Night helps remove these barriers by providing an environment that respects and supports these needs.
The program is part of our broader commitment to inclusion and accessibility, ensuring more members of our community can participate in active and healthy lifestyles. MOVE Moonee Valley recognises that some groups experience barriers that restrict participation and in certain circumstances, dedicated programs can help create greater equity and access.
Supporting inclusion through equal opportunity
Women’s Cultural Swimming Night is delivered as part of our commitment to creating equitable access to recreation and leisure opportunities.
In Victoria, Australia, it is legally permissible to provide exclusive access to leisure facilities and opportunities to a disadvantaged group of people to enable their participation in leisure.
The law in Victora allows this approach to inclusion is The Equal Opportunity Act 2010. The Special Measures section of that law describes the conditions under which exclusive access for disadvantaged groups to leisure facilities and opportunities are permitted.
The Special Measures section of The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 can be accessed here: https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/for-organisations/special-measures/
Who is Women’s Cultural Swimming Night for?
This session is designed for women who are seeking a female-only swimming environment, particularly those whose cultural, religious or personal reasons influence how and where they participate in aquatic activities.
The session provides an opportunity to:
- Build confidence in and around the water
- Improve health and wellbeing through regular physical activity
- Connect with other women in a welcoming community setting
- Enjoy swimming in a comfortable and supportive environment
The program is open to women and girls and boys aged 7 and under. The aquatic area is supervised by staff who are women to ensure privacy and comfort for all participants.
Important changes to the entry process
To ensure the session can be established safely and respectfully each week, a new entry procedure will apply.
- All patrons must exit the pool hall before 8:00pm (including those who are planning on attending Women’s Cultural Swimming Night).
- Women’s Cultural Swimming Night participants may begin entering pool hall from 8:15pm. Once the session has commenced, access will be restricted to eligible participants.
- Patrons must arrive before 8:30pm.
We encourage attendees to arrive on time to ensure sufficient time for entry before the doors are closed.
Learn more information about Women’s Cultural Swimming Night here: https://www.movemv.com.au/swim/womens-only-swimming/
Belgravia Leisure’s Social Inclusion Statement can be accessed here: https://belgravialeisure.com.au/social-inclusion/
