How do you prepare students to represent their university, support one another, and stay safe at a major multi-day sporting event?
La Trobe University’s 2025 Uni Nationals Participant Training provides a strong example of how sport can be used as a platform for leadership, wellbeing, community responsibility and student safety. Designed for students representing Team La Trobe at UniSport Nationals, the program goes well beyond competition preparation, covering topics such as leadership, team culture, incident management, alcohol education, behavioural expectations, personal and institutional brand, and responding to disclosures of sexual harm.
The training reinforces the responsibilities that come with representing a university, while equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to contribute positively to their teams and the wider event environment. Participants are encouraged to uphold standards of respect, inclusion and sportsmanship, both on and off the field, while understanding the support services available should issues arise.
A key component of the program focuses on creating safer communities through education around sexual harm prevention and response. Students are introduced to practical frameworks for recognising concerns, responding appropriately and referring individuals to professional support services, helping foster a culture of care and accountability within student sport.
The program also highlights the role of student leadership in shaping team culture, encouraging participants to support fellow Team La Trobe athletes, celebrate success across all sports and contribute to an environment where every student feels connected and valued.
For universities seeking to strengthen their Healthy Campus initiatives, La Trobe’s approach demonstrates how representative sport can be leveraged to deliver outcomes that extend far beyond competition. By integrating wellbeing, leadership development, safety education and community connection into the student sporting experience, the program provides a practical example of how sport can contribute to healthier, safer and more inclusive campus communities.
Why it matters
Sport has the power to bring students together, create a sense of belonging and develop skills that last well beyond university. La Trobe University’s participant training showcases how institutions can intentionally use sport as a vehicle for student wellbeing, leadership development and safer campus communities, aligning closely with the goals of the FISU Healthy Campus programme.
Australia Version 3.0 The purpose of this Guide is to aid new and prospective Australian Healthy Campus Signatories starting their journey along the Healthy Campus process. Written in conjunction with FISU Healthy Campus crew this Guide has been edited to meet Australian operating condition and terminologies and sense checked by current Australian signatories at UWA, […]
Main Goals Click below to download FISU’s Healthy Campus Toolkit. (3MB)
