About SSV Play

SSV Play is the participation stream within SSV's school sport pathway, which aims to engage less active students through a variety of sport and physical activities program.

SSV Play provides a program in a non-competitive format to engage students, with consideration to addressing key barriers to school sport participation including:

  • The changing way children and young people engage with sport – with a shift in focus from playing sport to win, to playing sport to keep fit.

  • Students who are currently missing out on opportunities through interschool sport (eg: not trying out for or getting selected in school teams etc)

  • Students who are put off by the pressure to perform and win (don't like competitive sport).

  • The drop of in sport participation amongst teenagers, particularly from the age of 15 (Year 9).



Play Opportunities - Term 3 and Term 4 Play 2023

School Sport Victoria is excited to launch new Term 3 and 4 programs for SSV Play.

The following free SSV Play opportunities are now open for schools in Term 3 and 4:

  • SSV Play – Circus in partnership with Ruccis Circus

  • SSV Play - Downball in partnership with Downball Australia

  • SSV Play - Diversity Dash with a strengthened focus on inclusion and diversity during and in the lead up to the event.

Funding for SSV Play is provided at no cost to Victorian Government and low fee independent schools selected to participate.


Criteria and considerations for school selection

Each SSV Play program has limited spaces available.

Schools will be prioritised based on the following criteria:

School Type

  • Only government or low fee non-government schools are eligible to apply.

Level of disadvantage

  • Schools with an ICSEA (Index of community socio-educational advantage) value of 1000 or below and a low ICSEA percentile score will be prioritised. The lower the ICSEA value the higher the socio-educational disadvantage. Your school's ICSEA value is shown on each school's profile page on My School website. SSV will use your ICSEA value, percentile score and distribution and other key information on the profile page to assist in school selection.

  • Applications from schools with a high number of students from priority cohorts will be highly considered e.g. students from a language background other than English, Koorie Students, students with disability, students living in rural and regional Victoria and students who identify as LGBTIQ+. Please note this information about your school community in your expression of interest form.

 

Previous participation in SSV Play

  • Higher priority will be given to schools who have not participated in SSV Play in 2022 or 2023.

School size

  • In the SSV Play – Diversity Dash program, SSV will only fund schools for up to 500 students participating. This enables SSV to offer the programs to as many different schools across the state as possible.
  • If your school has student numbers of more than 500 students, consider whether you focus your event on specific year levels where Diversity Dash aligns more strongly with a learning focus around diversity and inclusion.
  • Both Downball and Circus have a target of 100 students (4 sessions with 25 students per session) on a one-day school incursion:
    • If you are a smaller school and do not have 100 students, please consider if you can partner with another nearby school to meet this requirement. Alternatively, you can apply for Diversity Dash where no minimum student limits apply.
    • If you have more than 100 students, consider selecting specific classes within your school that might benefit most and fit the 100-student maximum.

VIT registered member of school staff supervision requirement

  • It is required that a Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registered member of school staff is present for the duration of the incursion who will supervise the students participating and provide duty of care

 Preferred Play program

  • Schools can express interest in only one program. Please choose the program your school wants the most. Please do not submit a form for multiple programs.

 

How your school can get involved

  • For all programs, schools need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form on the specific program page below.

  • Open periods for schools to submit EOI forms will vary, and once places are full the EOI portal will close.

  • Places for all SSV Play programs are limited so get in early to ensure your school can be considered for selection.

Note: Submitting an EOI form does not guarantee your school a spot in that program. School Sport Victoria assesses all submissions prior to selecting and notifying all schools accordingly.

To find out more about each program and to submit an EOI lick on the program below for further details. 



Expressions of Interest are now open for the new Circus and Downball incursions and Diversity Dash events in later Term 3 and Term 4.