Multicultural Program

AFL Multicultural Community Ambassadors

The aim of the Australia Post AFL Multicultural Community Ambassador Program is to further engage multicultural communities in Australian football through a network of dedicated volunteers. The ambassadors will connect AFL staff with their particular communities and promote AFL activities as a vehicle for engagement and inclusion. The program will also provide community leaders with an official platform to become involved in the introduction and coordination of AFL related programs in their communities as well as opportunities for professional development.

Please have a look at the AFL Queensland 2015 Community Ambassador profiles (this will have a link to a profile page)

AFL Multicultural community ambassadors will have an opportunity to be engaged in three main categories of our programs: (this will have a link similar to AFL National)

Role Description:

• Liaise between the AFL and your community
• Promote AFL Multicultural programs through community festivals as well as print and social media outlets.
• Assist the regional Multicultural Development Officer and Regional Development Manager you are assigned to throughout the season
• Represent the AFL at community events and attend AFL/ Club functions and events
• Assist in delivering cultural awareness sessions
• Assist with the distribution of information to targeted community groups
• Assist with the AFL multicultural events and activities.
• Engage people from your community in AFL Multicultural programs and monitor their progress.

Benefits for Ambassadors:

• A sense of pride and achievement from making a valuable contribution to the community
• A deeper connection to, and knowledge of, AFL Multicultural programs
• Access to AFL Multicultural player ambassadors (subject to availability)
• Access to an exclusive multicultural community ambassador’s pack which includes a polo, footy, AFL Explained DVD and 5 tickets to an AFL game!
• Professional development programs including coaching/umpiring accreditation, conference invitations and much more, to improve your employability skills and credentials
• An opportunity to improve cross-cultural and communication skills
• Contribution to positive community health outcomes by assisting your community engage in sport and the wider society
• Help develop community programs by providing direction and ideas for the ongoing growth of AFL multicultural programs
• Official Certificate presented at a state-based Reward & Recognition function at the end of the eight months tenure
• A chance to be the State and National “Multicultural Community Ambassador of the Year” and receiving special prizes and accolade

Multicultural Community Festivals

• Cultural diversity Week
• Harmony Day Celebrations
• Africa Day Celebrations
• WELCOMEfest (World Refugee Day)
• Eidfest
• Cultural Diversity Week

TALENT PATHWAY

Diversity Championships

State All Nations Team

Talent squad for Under 15 Multicultural males from Non English Speaking Backgrounds (countries) that plays in the Diversity Championships held in April.  Players The All Nations Cup will be hosted alongside the U15 Indigenous Kickstart Cup, although it will be a 9-a-side competition with full AFL rules on a modified ground.

The All Nations Cup participant criteria:

• Players born overseas from non-English speaking backgrounds
• Players from emerging communities
• 15 year olds (Turning 15 in 2015 or have turned 15 in 2017)

Bachar Houli Academy

The Bachar Houli Academy is a high performance football talent camp for emerging junior players aged 14-16 years, who are from an Islamic background. The Academy aims to develop the participant’s leadership skills, fast-track their football development, and provide genuine pathways for them to pursue playing football at an elite level.

The five-day camp involves skill acquisition, high performance testing, game education, leadership development and a game.

SCHOOLS PROGRAMS

Multicultural Schools Program (MSP)

The primary objective of the AFL Multicultural Program is to assist migrant and refugee communities to access Australian football whether as a player, fan, coach, administrator or umpire.

The Multicultural Program has been established within the AFL Game Development department and AFL Football Clubs to achieve this objective. We want Australian Football to be a vehicle that encourages community strengthening and inclusion within the wider Australian community.

How the Multicultural Schools Program works:

The Multicultural schools program is a minimum six week program that is conducted with students from Primary (Grades 3 – 6) and Secondary Schools (Years 7 – 10).  It consists of weekly clinics conducted by Multicultural Development Officers, based on basic footy skills and also key educational themes:

Skills Focus

• Handballing
• Kicking
• Marking
• An introduction to umpiring
• AFL 9s matches

Themes

• Fair Play
• Respect
• Teamwork
• Harmony
• Leadership
• Optional Program additions
• Club Tour
• Tickets and half time experience

Each registered student participating in the multicultural schools program during the AFL season is to receive tickets to an AFL football game. A selected number of students to be selected and participate in a grid game at halftime at either the Gabba or Metricon Stadium

MSP Cup

All schools involved in the program will be offered an opportunity to participate in a one day regional carnival which will be conducted by the Development Officer.

AFL THEMED ROUND

AFL Multicultural Round

AFL Multicultural Round is a themed round to acknowledge and celebrate our game’s cultural diversity.

AFL Multicultural Round gives a terrific platform to celebrate the role multicultural communities have played in the game over the last 150 years and importantly to encourage new communities to enjoy the game as supporters, players or administrators in the future.

Diversity Breakfast

The Diversity Breakfast is an annual event held in the lead up to the AFL’s Multicultural Round in conjunction with the Gold Coast Suns to discuss how to help and encourage people from a Multicultural background to enter the football community.

The Objectives of the Diversity Breakfast are:

Highlight opportunity for engaging culturally diverse markets in State

Showcase AFL/ AFL Vic  Multicultural and Indigenous programs and Vilification work

• Share insights/ stories on what works to make our industry inclusive

In 2014, the event received 190 guests from across the AFL industry and community.

The event was hosted by MC and AFL Multicultural Community Ambassador Sharon Orapeleng leading questions about the benefits of diversity in business, communities and football.

FUNDING

Jim Stynes Scholarships

The Jim Stynes Scholarships are named after Jim Stynes in recognition of his outstanding efforts not only as a professional Australian Football Player and administrator, but also as a philanthropist, charity worker and writer.

Purpose of the Scholarships:

The purpose of the Jim Stynes Scholarships is to assist in providing both a pathway to employment and a pathway to nurture/develop skills and/or talents unique in youth (15-19 years) from:

Multicultural backgrounds;

Indigenous communities; and/or

Socially isolated/excluded communities.

Who is eligible for a scholarship?

Scholarships are available to young people aged 15 and no older than 19 as at 31 October in the relevant year. Potential recipients may be nominated by the president/coach of their sporting club/team, an authorised officer of a not for- profit community organisation, an employee of the AFL or an AFL state body or a board member, staff member or crew member of The Reach Foundation.

There is funding for between 18 to 37 scholarships per calendar year, However only a maximum of 37 scholarships that can be granted.