Active Kids FAQs: Providers

What is Active Kids?

Active Kids is a program to help NSW families meet the cost of getting their kids into sport, active fitness and recreation activities.

Through the Active Kids program, parents, guardians and carers of school-enrolled children can apply for an Active Kids voucher. The vouchers can be redeemed for registration or membership fees with an approved provider who has registered with the Active Kids program.

Find out more about the Active Kids program.

What is a provider?

To be a provider with Active Kids, your organisation must deliver a sport or structured active physical recreation program and be approved and registered with the Active Kids program prior to participating in the program and accepting vouchers.

These could be:

• state sporting organisations (SSOs) like Football Federation of Australia, Netball NSW etc and their associated affiliated sporting clubs located in NSW
• a profit or not-for-profit activity provider located in NSW

To qualify, a provider must offer structured activities that provide a moderate to vigorous level of physical activity:

• over a minimum 8 weeks if delivered during the school term
• a minimum 5 sessions or a minimum of 4 hours, if delivered during school holidays.

Examples of activities include:

• sporting pursuits
• swimming lessons
• structured fitness programs
• outdoor education programs
• approved active recreation (such as dance)
• equipment ordinarily provided by the provider on registration for competition.

What is a State Sporting Organisation?

A state sporting organisation (SSO) appears on the official list of State Sport Organisations in NSW.

There are approximately 96 SSOs in NSW but each SSO can have hundreds of affiliated member clubs and associations.

What is an affiliated club?

Affiliated clubs are sporting clubs with affiliated membership or registration with a state sporting organisation.

What is a non-affiliated club?

Non-affiliated clubs are clubs or organisations that are not affiliated or registered with a state sporting organisation, for example:

• indoor sports centres
• leisure centres operating basketball competitions
• indoor cricket or soccer
• martial arts.

What are individual providers?

Incorporated associations or private business that meet the criteria for provider registration and approved types of activity, for example:

• dance schools
• karate schools
• kickboxing academies
• gymnasiums, or
• fitness centres.

Providers must apply through Service NSW and be approved by Office of Sport to be registered with Active Kids.

Are all sports included?

The Office of Sport determines which activities, clubs, associations, and groups qualify to be a provider. However, there are sports and activities which have been excluded.

Activities such as darts, snooker/billiards and shooting may not meet physical activity requirements set by the Office of Sport.

Providers who believe they may be eligible should contact the Office of Sport.

How do I find a list of registered providers?

Use our Active Kids provider search tool to find a registered provider.

You can also check with your state sporting organisation (SSO) to see if a provider is registered.

What is the eligibility criteria to be an Active Kids provider?

To be eligible as a provider you must be:

• a sporting club/association affiliated with a recognised state sporting organisation located in NSW
• a for-profit or not-for-profit activity provider located in NSW
• an organisation providing participants with opportunities to participate in structured activities
• delivering a program of activity providing a moderate to vigorous level of physical activity:
  • over a minimum 8 weeks if delivered during the school term
  • a minimum 5 sessions or a minimum of 4 hours, if delivered during school holidays
• approved by, and registered with, Active Kids prior to accepting vouchers for redemptions by recipients.

What information is required to register as an Active Kids provider?

Providers must:

• hold a current ABN, ACN or Certification of Incorporation, and must not have any outstanding actions or enforcement orders recorded by the Office of Fair Trading
• hold appropriate skills, experience, or qualifications for low-risk activities they provide and/or appropriate accreditation for high-risk activities, specifically swimming and fitness activities
• obtain Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance for all staff and/or volunteers, as required
• hold current certificates of currency for indemnity and insurance policies appropriate to the type and level of activities being delivered.

What activity/sport qualifies for the Active Kids program?

You must offer a structured program of activity to school enrolled children in NSW. The program must provide moderate to vigorous activity and run:

• over a minimum 8 weeks if delivered during the school term
• a minimum 5 sessions or a minimum of 4 hours, if delivered during school holidays.

What is moderate to vigorous activity defined as?

Physical activity is defined as movement involving large muscles, for example running, swimming, aerobic activity.

Physical activity must be planned, structured and involve repetitive bodily movement which improves or maintains physical fitness.

What is a large muscle defined as?

Large muscle is defined as larger body parts, such as legs, arms, torso.

Examples of activities that do not use large muscles may include: darts, croquet.

I believe that my activity program qualifies for Active Kids program, should I apply?

Yes, apply for the program.

Your organisation needs to meet both the provider and activity requirements.

The Office of Sport will assess your application and if you meet the criteria, you will receive written notification from Active Kids team.

If you are not approved, you will receive advice indicating why the application has not been accepted.

I provide an activity program within a school. Am I eligible to be an Active Kids provider?

School-run activities, competitions and inter-school sport that are in school and part of the curriculum are not part of this program.

This program aims to increase children's participation in activities after-school (outside school hours) and on weekends.

School teams who participate and pay fees directly towards community-based competitions may be eligible.

Organisers need to check with the Active Kids team at the Office of Sport to discuss specific circumstances.

Some of the children in my club live interstate, can they get an Active Kids voucher?

It is a requirement of the program that the child must be a resident of NSW to be eligible for a voucher.

A voucher can only be used for a program with a provider that is located within NSW.

What types of activities are excluded from the program?

Activities not eligible to be claimed under Active Kids:

• activities that do not provide a structured program of moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity
• programs that are delivered during:
  • school term and are less than 8 weeks in duration
  • school holidays that are not a minimum of either 5 sessions or 4 hours in duration
• gym membership that is not part of a structured program
• activities or programs that are part of the school curriculum or held during school hours
• after-school care services and tutors
• school-run activities, including weekend school sport or activities
• travel to and from competitions
• individual items or equipment (such as jerseys, socks, and boots) that would usually be purchased from a retailer and paid for by the individual as part of participating in the activity separate to any membership or registration fees charged by the club.

My club or organisation is in a border town, can we claim vouchers and which kids are eligible for a voucher?

Children must reside in NSW to be eligible to claim the vouchers.

Clubs or organisations that are located in NSW and meet all other program requirements are eligible to register to become a provider.

Once registered, NSW clubs and organisations can only accept vouchers from children who reside in NSW and are eligible to claim vouchers.

Clubs or organisations located outside of NSW, but within border towns, can contact the Office of Sport at activekids@sport.nsw.gov.au with any eligibility queries.

My club is affiliated with an association that has its own registration platform, and we pay fees through that online system.

Ask your association to contact Active Kids team about possible voucher redemption interface.

How do I update information in the Active Kids account?

View your account details using the Active Kids Dashboard in your Service NSW Business account.

You will be able to update most of the information on the dashboard.

The Active Kids team may be able to assist if you need to update additional information.

I received an email to be an Active Kids provider, but I did not request it or I haven't applied

Some state sporting organisations have provided information to nominate delegates from their affiliated clubs to participate in the Active Kids program.

If you receive an activation email and do not wish to be involved, contact the Active Kids team.

I was nominated as an Active Kids delegate, but I didn't give permission and I'd like to be removed.

There's no need to act on the request contained in the activation email you received, however, you may like to discuss this with your club or state sporting organisation.

How do I become a delegate for my club?

If your club is affiliated with a state sport organisation, you will need to speak to your member services officer about changing the club's account details.

How do I change the bank account details?

Banking details provided in the pre-registration process may be changed by an approved delegate.

How do I become an Active Kids provider?

To register as an Active Kids provider you’ll first need to check that you’re eligible. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply through your MyServiceNSW business profile.

See the Active Kids program provider guidelines – PDF for more information.

How do affiliated sports clubs register as a provider?

State sporting organisations (SSOs) have provided a list of their affiliate clubs.

This list has been used to automatically create a MyServiceNSW Account and a business profile (launched as part of the Active Kids program).

Details will be made available through the SSOs to clubs and associations regarding their online account and registration as a provider.

For those who did not provide their details, they will have to set up a MyServiceNSW Account and business profile.

How do unaffiliated or private organisations (whether not-for-profit or for-profit organisations) register as a provider?

Providers register directly with MyServiceNSW Account, by first creating a business profile and then completing an Active Kids provider registration for approval.

What information is required to register as a provider?

To create a MyServiceNSW business profile, you need to provide organisation and contact details.

Once your account is activated, you will need to enter further details for registration as an Active Kids provider, including:

• organisation entity details
• location
• activities offered (for example sport or active recreation activity)
• copies of Certificates of Currency for insurance and indemnity cover bank details
• declarations including Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance, and
• acceptance of Terms and Conditions.

How long does it take for my application to be assessed once submitted?

Applications can take up to 28 days for the Office of Sport to assess and let you know if you're approved.

How long are vouchers valid?

The Active Kids voucher must be redeemed before the expiry date on the voucher.

Vouchers cannot be redeemed retrospectively (meaning if a family has paid the full fee, they cannot later hand in their voucher and request a cash refund).

How do I check if a child is eligible and has a valid voucher?

Eligible recipients will be able to apply for a voucher through Service NSW.

Providers can check the validity of vouchers by viewing the ‘Redeem Voucher’ tab on their Active Kids dashboard, within their MyServiceNSW business profile. A voucher is used once it is validated.

Invalid vouchers cannot be redeemed.

How long will it take to be paid for the vouchers I've redeemed?

Reimbursements will be made within 7 days of the provider redeeming the voucher online, if vouchers are valid and banking details verified.

Providers will be reimbursed the actual value of the activity up to the full value of the voucher and will not automatically receive the total value of each voucher redeemed.

No retrospective reimbursements will be made, but clubs and organisations may allow for part or deferred payment at the time of registration.

How do I claim a reimbursement?

You can redeem vouchers online.