The Carlton Football Club is proud to have Carlton Respects named the winner of the 2026 Jim Stynes Foundation Club Community Award presented by Bunnings.
Initiated in 2016, Carlton Respects is the Blues’ long-standing community initiative which uses the power of football to build awareness, funds and action to champion gender equality and play a role in the prevention of violence against women.
The community award recognises the AFL club program that best reflects the Jim Stynes Foundation's mission to build a generation of happy, healthy and resilient young people.
The acknowledgement comes at a fitting time, with Carlton Respects celebrating 10 years since its launch.
What began with one powerful story of lived experience, and the orange socks that came with it, has grown into a whole of Club commitment to using football's platform for genuine social change.
In Australia, two in five women have experienced violence since age 15.
Declared as a ‘national crisis’, violence against women is a serious, widespread problem that is preventable. Carlton Respects aims to stop violence before it starts through a focus on education, awareness and advocacy.
Over the past decade, Carlton Respects has educated over 30,000 primary school students through its Road to Respect school program, delivering close to 4,000 hours of in-classroom facilitation, which has seen 91 per cent of participating schools report an increase in students' understanding of respect lessons.
Awareness and fundraising initiatives, including the annual Carlton Respects match days and Run for Respect around Princes Park, have helped contribute more than $1.4 million in support. This generosity has expanded the initiative’s reach into response and recovery efforts, through partnerships with Safe Steps and You Matter, providing accommodation and assistance for women and children directly affected by violence.
By 2027, Carlton Respects aims to educate 40,000 students via Road to Respect, which engages and inspires students to build skills to manage their emotions, ask for help, be a buddy and break down unhelpful stereotypes.
Carlton CEO Graham Wright said the award reflected the collective impact Carlton Respects has made over the past decade.
"On behalf of the Carlton Football Club, I’d like to thank the Jim Stynes Foundation, Chairman Russel Howcroft and the Stynes family for this recognition. We’re honoured to accept this award, and we wish to congratulate the other outstanding community programs also nominated this year," Wright said.
"To receive this award in the same year we mark 10 years of Carlton Respects is a proud moment for everyone who has contributed to the initiative over the past decade.
"Violence against women remains one of the most serious issues facing society. Through Carlton Respects, we've sought to use our platform to play a role in stopping violence before it starts, helping drive conversations, challenge attitudes and educate young people about respectful relationships.
"We're incredibly grateful for the support our community has shown Carlton Respects over many years. That collective backing has helped tens of thousands of students to participate in our schools programs, while also enabling us to extend our impact through response and recovery assistance, supporting women and children, particularly those in immediate need.
"This recognition belongs to the contribution of many people. Our partners, educators, ambassadors, donors and the entire Carlton community have all played a role in helping Carlton Respects continue to grow its impact. We're deeply appreciative of that support and the shared commitment to creating meaningful change.
"I'd also like to acknowledge the individuals and families who have shared their lived experience with our community over the years. Many have done so after experiencing unimaginable loss and trauma, and their courage has helped educate others, challenge attitudes and strengthen our collective commitment to preventing violence against women.
"Awards like this are an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved, but they're also a reminder of why this work matters. I encourage our Carlton family to get behind the cause once again at our AFLW Carlton Respects Game on 1 October at IKON Park and continue supporting an initiative that is making a difference in our community."
If you wish to support Carlton Respects, please click here to donate today, or get your local primary school involved in our Road to Respect program here.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au. If you, a child, or another person is in immediate danger, call 000.
