SA families the winners from expanded voucher program

Music and active recreation added as scheme keeps kicking goals.

Kenilworth Football Club juniors are among those taking advantage of the sports voucher scheme. Picture Dean Martin

Families keen to get their children in tune with life can take advantage of a double dose of the refreshed program Sports Vouchers Plus – with music lessons and active recreation included in the program.

The State Government is investing $54.6 million over four years to double the number of $100 Sports Vouchers to two per child per calendar year to help cover participation costs.

The Sports Voucher Plus program – which began in 2015 – was expanded at the start of last year to include scouts and guides and will be further extended to include music lessons and active recreation from the start of the 2025 school year.

Children from Reception to Year 9 can receive the subsidy from any of the more than 1200 providers which are signed up to the program in SA.

Former Kenilworth Junior Football Club president Adele O’Brien describes the expansion as a “massive win for families” – and says all families of the 70 young footballers at the Kookas last season made use of the vouchers to offset costs.

“I think the program has been phenomenal for families,” she says. “The concept allows so many to put their children into a sport.

“I believe the vouchers are 100 per cent utilised for most clubs. Definitely at Kenilworth every family uses them in either football or in one of the other sports their children do.”

O’Brien says any initiative which encourages young people to be active is a win not just for the child, but for the wider community.

“Being involved in sport can be so expensive but the benefits for children are so profound – from developing social skills right through to improving their everyday co-ordination and helping them reach their developmental milestones,” she says.

“So for families who are unable to send their children based on the cost of living and just the sheer cost of sports fees, it’s a great incentive from the government.

“Any additional funding for families will be received very well for most families. And that obviously then filters down to the sporting clubs as well in terms of being able to provide better programs.

“A lot of clubs are struggling, which is why fees have to go up – so to get more families on board will just have a ripple effect throughout the whole community.”

Providers are available across a range of activities, from sports like Australian Rules football, soccer, netball and swimming to other activities including fencing, cheerleading, guides and roller sports.

South Australia’s Sports Vouchers Plus program is one of the most successful in the country, with South Australian households saving more than $58 million across the life of the program to date.

More than 97,300 vouchers were claimed in 2024, with data showing on the sportsvouchers.sa.gov.au website the total value of vouchers totalling over $9.5 million, with 1250 active providers.

The SANFL was the top provider for 2024, with 7470 vouchers claimed, followed by the South Australian Little Athletics Association (22246); South Australian Cricket Association (2071); YMCA of SA (2032) and Netball SA (2001).

sportsvouchers.sa.gov.au

Family’s net gains from activity relief

Sports-mad sisters Anna and Sofia, with parents Kathy and Gerado. Picture: Russell Millard

Parents Kathy and Gerardo are well aware of the value of the Sports Voucher Plus program – both in terms of what it means for the family budget and the opportunities it offers their two sports-mad daughters.

So they were delighted by news last year that the popular scheme was being expanded to double the number of annual $100 Sports Vouchers to two per child and also include music lessons for the first time.

Kathy says the move essentially adds up to a $400 saving for the family, with 10-year-old Sofia and sister Anna, 8, who attend Marryatville Primary School, both heavily involved in netball, swimming and gymnastics.

The Kensington family have accessed the program in the past and will “happily” do so again, especially with Sofia now also in her second year of viola lessons.

“The girls are absolutely obsessed with netball, have swimming lessons at the Norwood Swimming Centre and do their gymnastics at the Payneham Youth Centre,” Kathy says. “All that sport can be expensive, with the various fees all adding up ... we would spend over $1500 per child per year on sports. “So at this time of year, when everything else seems to be due, it’s nice to have something that is such a great subsidy. Who’s not happy when you’re virtually given $400?”

All children from Reception to Year 9 can benefit from the discounted fees at any of more than 1200 providers who are signed up to the program in SA.

Providers are available across a range of activities, from sports such as Australian Rules football, soccer, netball and swimming through to other activities including fencing, dance and cheerleading.

Kathy says the Sports Voucher Plus program plays a vital role in allowing children the opportunity to try their hand at a variety of activities – and agrees music is a worthy addition.

“Not all kids are sporty so something like this can help ensure those children who
might be more interested in music than sport can have a better chance of taking up an instrument,” she says.

“When you’re talking about the arts and sports, they’re all good things that we want to encourage in our children anyway. So to have the financial support to be able to do it is great. It’s nice to see the government investing in children in this way.”

Originally published as SA families the winners from expanded voucher program