Partnership will see Aboriginal organisation establish a base at Arden Street *
A MELBOURNE-based Aboriginal community organisation will enter into a substantial relationship with an AFL club, believed to be the first of its kind.
The Melbourne Aboriginal Youth, Sport and Recreation (MAYSAR) Co-Op Ltd. and the North Melbourne Football Club have formed a partnership that will build and develop an Indigenous youth sport and recreation program at the Kangaroos' Arden Street base.
In announcing the partnership yesterday, North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca said the Kangaroos had a proud Indigenous football history and the club wanted to grow its contribution to the Aboriginal community.
The MAYSAR program will be part of the NMFC's Multicultural Life and Learning Centre and the partnership comes via the redevelopment of its historic Arden Street base. It means MAYSAR will have access to the ground and the Kangaroos' Indigenous players for the duration of the program. The Aboriginal organisation, based in Fitzroy, will have a permanent presence at the ground with a newly built classroom.
MAYSAR general manager Glenda Thorpe yesterday said the association was a significant one.
"It's meaningful in the sense that it is the first time any VFL/AFL club has made a significant commitment to a local Aboriginal community," she said. "The arrangement will be conducive in encouraging Indigenous youth towards football. Most importantly, it will be tapping into young people's potential."
MAYSAR is a community-controlled Aboriginal organisation that provides a youth centre with activities and programs that strives to keep young people away from drugs and alcohol. The partnership with North Melbourne adds another element to the organisation's role in the community.
"There are all sorts of potential outcomes from this," Ms Thorpe said. "We're well-placed to deliver this type of program and we encourage other Melbourne clubs to come on board. We want to make links and partnerships with other sports; we're talking to Victoria Rowing, Victoria Surf Life Saving -- elite sportspeople come here often to use our equipment. The sky's the limit with this, really."
Kangaroos' courage applauded
FORMER Hawthorn player and current MAYSAR chairperson Mick Edwards said: "We applaud North Melbourne’s courage to be the first club in AFL history to form an equal partnership with Melbourne’s Aboriginal community.
"North Melbourne recognises the importance of the Arden Street redevelopment site for not only their mob, but for ours too. MAYSAR will now be able to fulfil its mission that seeks to support all Indigenous people in all kinds of sports across Melbourne.
"The North Melbourne Football Club has discovered how to work with and for its Indigenous players and Melbourne's Aboriginal community. This is how MAYSAR want to work with the rest of the Melbourne-based AFL clubs, in equal partnership."
"This partnership will provide education to children of all ages about the significance and history of Aboriginal culture." Arocca said. "Our club has a long and proud history of Indigenous players that stretches to the current day; however we have only recently discovered the cultural significance of the area around Arden Street to the Aboriginal community.
"We think it is important that when the redevelopment of Arden Street is complete, we use the Learning and Life Centre to both acknowledge that significance and to make a positive contribution to the Aboriginal youth of Victoria and their future."
A program development team has been formed to research and develop the key components of the program over the next 12 months.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Darren@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Last Modified on 02/02/2009 00:04