Swimming Australia believes a successful high-performance culture includes our swimmers, coaches and staff finding the right balance between wellbeing and the requirements of elite sport.
Wellbeing and Engagement is embedded within our high-performance pathway through a sport specific framework that has been co created with the AIS and reviewed on a regular basis. The framework details services and resources available that focus on holistic development.
Health, Wellbeing and Engagement Resources
Welcome to our central hub for career, education, wellbeing, and alumni resources.
Wellbeing is embedded within our performance pathway, and whether you are competing now or planning for life after competitive swimming, or part of our Dolphin alumni, you’ll find information about tailored programs, opportunities, and support services here to help you thrive both in and out of the pool.
National Wellbeing and Engagement Manager
Linley Frame – Linley.Frame@swimming.org.au
Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Coordinator
Jodie Henry – Jodie.Henry@swimming.org.au
Win Well Pledge
As Australians, we aspire to win, and can inspire all with how we win. Win Well is our united commitment to success, by balancing ambitious performance goals with a culture of care, integrity, fair play and pride. By prioritising and focusing on the physical, mental, emotional, and cultural wellbeing of our athletes, coaches, staff, and sport as a whole, we will unlock our full potential and Win Well.
Get Support
P: 02 6214 1130
E: mentalhealth@sportaus.gov.au
W: sportaus.gov.au/ais/mhrn
The AIS Mental Health Referral Network (MHRN) is a group of expert psychologists and mental health clinicians who understand the pressures and complexity or life in a high-performance setting.
The MHRN can assist when things are tough or if you want some advice on how to improve your wellbeing.
For athletes categorised 1-5 (all podium levels, developing and emerging), HP coaches, HP staff and Alumni, the Mental Health Referral Network services are available at no cost.
If you are eligible to access support and would like to ask a question or require more information regarding the Mental Health Referral Network, please feel free to contact them on the details above.
Emergency 24/7 Support:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
In the case of a mental health emergency always dial emergency services: 000
For any questions about the AIS Mental Health Referral Network contact Linley Frame – Wellbeing & Engagement Manager – linley.frame@swimming.org.au
The Elite Sport Education Network (ESEN) is comprised of Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) endorsed Universities, TAFEs, and other education providers who have committed to supporting elite athletes, coaches and officials for the duration of their course of study. This ensures the experience on, and off campus, is one that is rewarding, flexible and helps athletes acquire the right skills and qualifications needed to follow their passions and interests outside of sport while still pursuing their sporting goals
Scholarships Available
Support is available through dedicated scholarships for elite athletes.
https://www.ais.gov.au/career-and-education/elite-athlete-university-scholarships
Swimming Australia has a numerical Swimmer Pin Program to acknowledge the significant achievements of athletes who have been selected for Australian Swim Teams.
To qualify for an Australian Representative Swimmer Pin, the athlete must have represented Australia at a major senior international benchmark event.
The major international events included are:
- Paralympic Games (formerly known as the Stoke Mandeville Games)
- Far East and South Pacific Island Games
- World Para Championships or
- Pan Pacific Para Championships
- INAS Global Games (2006-2010 only)
- Olympic Games
- Commonwealth Games
- World Aquatic Championships
- World Aquatic Short Course Championships
- Pan Pacific Championships
Dolphins Hub and Pin Number Poster
If you have not received your Australian Dolphin Representative Pin, please contact linley.frame@swimming.org.au
Swimming Australia has many connection points to engage with our Dolphin alumni, some of these include –
- Tickets to attend Swimming Australia Events – National Championships, and Selection Trials
- The Dolphin Alumni Newsletter
- National Event Camps and Next Gen Camps
- Phoenix JX Swim Clinics
- Junior National Team Mentors
- Connecting alum with State Associations for appearances
AIS Alumni Support – The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has proudly launched the nation’s first ever peer-support network for retired athletes. Life after sport can be challenging for retired athletes, and this can lead to feeling isolated, disconnected or uncertain about how to harness a wealth of experience. It’s crucial to support athletes in all stages of life and ensure their connection, knowledge and past experiences in sport are nurtured. The peer support network aims to create a welcoming space where former athletes from different sports can come together to connect, share experiences and help each other navigate life after sport – Retired Athlete Peer Support Network | Australian Institute of Sport
The AIS Accelerate Program provides a unique experience for retired women athletes who are pursuing career options in the sport sector. The program, which is funded through the Australian Government, has a career and personal development focus and provides opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills and tools to navigate a professional career in sport.
Alumni transition resources and support services –
Athlete Transitions in Sport | Clearinghouse for Sport
The AIS Career Practitioner Referral Network (CPRN) enables Australia’s elite athletes’ access to a variety of professional career advice and guidance services with a national network of professional career practitioners servicing athletes in all Australian states and territories, including those living regionally and internationally via ‘online’ capability. The career practitioners have worked with high performance athletes and provide up-to-date knowledge about career development and the impact of the changing world of work.
Deloitte Australia’s Athlete Employment Program (Ignite) Deloitte Australia’s Ignite Athlete Employment Program supports and develops the athletic and professional ambitions of Australian Olympians and Paralympians and is delivered in affiliation with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
Ignite is designed specifically by athletes, for athletes, and provides successful applicants with:
- Flexibility that accommodates both your work and training/competition commitments
- Career growth with comprehensive onboarding support, ongoing training, and access to mentoring and coaching to achieve long-term success
- Remuneration that helps to support you whilst pursuing your sporting goals
- Well-being with access to our dedicated Athlete Liaison Officer (ALO) to ensure you’re supported throughout to balance your professional and sporting needs
Through Ignite, Deloitte offers successful applicants positions across its business. Applicants can be emerging, current, or transitioning Olympians and Paralympians interested in pursuing a career in parallel with their sporting commitments.
We recognise how stressful taking part in a selection trial can be – not just for athletes but for everyone supporting them. As part of our commitment to athlete wellbeing, we provide non-selection support for our elite athletes following every selection trial, this includes individualised phone calls to athletes who miss selection for any of the major benchmark teams, in person catch ups, and ongoing support.
The Australian Institute of Sport provides personal development opportunities for all categorised athletes led by subject matter experts in the following areas:
Financial Wellness: providing athletes with a comprehensive and understandable guide to managing their finances during and beyond their sporting career.
Topics Include –
– Cashflow management
– Buying a home, tax & insurances
– Superannuation, side hustles & life after sport
– Investing
Understanding Tax for Athletes: focused on the foundations of tax compliance for athletes and provide a basic understating of all aspects of income and expenses specific to sporting professionals.
Topics Include –
– Income from different sources & earning income overseas
– Athlete tax deductions and record keeping
– Different structures of income
Personal Brand and Sponsorship: teaching athletes how to connect their personal brand with sponsorship decisions and activities.
Topics Include –
– Understanding your personal brand & how it can guide your sponsorship journey
– Identify your brand & sponsorship ideas
– Communicate your brand to attract & promote sponsors
– Leverage your brand for sponsorship
Storytelling & Effective Communication Skills: developing an athlete’s communication and storytelling skills to create confidence and capability in creating and delivering engaging and powerful presentations to a range of audiences.
Topics Include –
– Laying the foundations
– Crafting a story
– Structuring the presentation
– Awareness of body & voice
Media Skills: providing athletes with the skills to clearly communicate their story and represent themselves with impact, influence and purpose.
Topics Include –
– Understanding the basics – importance of media, different media platforms
– Practicing the skills – experience in broadcasting environments
– Bringing it together – recording content, on set experience
Financial Support for Athlete: a focus on the various financial supports for athletes, and the tax complications that can arise.
Topics Include –
– Sporting Grants including dAIS
– Non sporting grants, pensions and Centrelink payments
– Non-cash items
– Combining income from various sources
– Intellectual property
Athlete Wellbeing Toolkit: providing athletes with practical, evidence-based tools to improve their wellbeing and personal capacity to enable peak performance.
Topics Include –
– Resilient & agile athletes
– Athletes who play to their strengths
– Emotionally agile athletes
‘Hnry’ for sole trader athletes and coaches: Hnry is an app that can automatically pay and lodge taxes, provide a service for admin management, and become your accountant.
In short – Hnry gets it done, so sole traders never have to think about tax again – https://hnry.com.au/ais/
The AIS Athlete Wellbeing Education Modules provide athletes with entry-level learning on a range of wellbeing & engagement topics that are important in high-performance sport.
- High Performance Sport in Australia
- What it means to be an elite athlete
- Athlete Wellbeing & Engagement
- Athlete Self-care
- Money Matters
