The Collingwood Football Club Foundation, AFL SportsReady and AFL Victoria have joined forces to roll-out an innovative project called the Barrawarn Program.
This program is a three year scheme that aims to provide up to fifteen young Indigenous people with education and employment opportunities in metropolitan and regional Victoria.
AFL Victoria is specifically involved in the employment of five full-time traineeships. These five trainees have been placed within AFL Victoria’s regional development areas with an aim to increase football engagement amongst regional Indigenous communities.
The trainees will team up with Development Managers within each region and assist them across the areas of Auskick, Talent Identification, Welfare & Community Services, Administration, Management and maintaining valuable relationships with local Football Clubs and Leagues.
The five individuals involved in the three year program are Brandon McRedmond (North Ballarat), Troy Oakley (Gippsland), Brad Burns (Sunraysia), Nathan Turner (Shepparton) and Peter Dye (Dandenong).
All trainees are completely supported throughout the program by AFL Victoria, AFL SportsReady and an Indigenous mentor who will provide personal and career pathway support.
Peter Dye, the AFL Victoria Indigenous Trainee based in Dandenong has found that the program has helped develop him personally and professionally.
“It’s already helped me learn so much about our culture from traditional dancing, language and the stolen generation. Mentoring the young indigenous boys in the Kickstart programs has helped me with building relationships, I’m a lot better at public speaking now and this will help a lot with my coaching also.”
Peter has been able to make the most of his time in the program by expanding his qualifications.
“I am getting a Certificate III in Sport & Recreation at Chisholm Tafe. I now have a Level 1 Coaching Accreditation and have helped my Regional Development Manager with a couple of junior/youth coaching courses that he has run.”
The program has not only altered Peter’s life it has also had a lasting influence on his local community.
“I have been able to start up a new Auskick centre which I also coach. We have 15 kids so far at the centre and it’s growing very quickly so hopefully this will help the club have a junior team once again. I have also organised a halftime game for ‘Dreamtime at the G’ which local kids may not have had the chance to participate in if I wasn’t in the role.”
Peter has found the job to be extremely fulfilling, but more importantly very enjoyable.
“It’s been fantastic getting out into the community and introducing the game to so many different people. It’s very rewarding knowing you’re making kids happy just by running a clinic or telling them they’ve done a good job. I love footy so this is the perfect job and I enjoy coming to work which I don’t think I could say about my old job,” Peter Dye said.
Last Modified on 22/05/2012 17:58