Australian Technology Park is a proud supporter of the Rabbitohs Souths Cares program to give children and young people from Redfern and the surrounding areas the opportunity to take part in a series of health and education workshops to aid social and physical development.
2013 So far
Return to Redfern
The annual Return to Redfern match was held on Saturday 9 February 2013 at Suttons' South Sydney High Performance Centre at Redfern Oval - kick starting the Souths' season.The match was a quality hit out for a young Rabbitohs outfit against Papua New Guinea winning 38 points 12.
A crowd of almost 5,000 Members and supporters saw PNG put on a great show in the first half scoring the first two trys, but the Rabbitohs took over after 30 minutes and it was all red and green from then on.
U17 ATP Redfern Harmony Nines
The NSWRL together with South's Cares, the Australian Technology Park Sydney Limited (ATPSL) and the NRL's One Community will again showcase Rugby League’s unique ability of bringing communities together at the 2013 U17 ATP Redfern Harmony Nines.
The 2013 tournament, which will be held at Redfern Oval and the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE), is in its third consecutive year and it continues to celebrate the diversity and pride in our game and the wider community.
The development competition will host 150 players from the Under-17's age group who have not participated in the elite Harold Mathews and S.G Ball competitions.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2013
U17s Redfern 9s
The Australian Technology Park (ATP), South Sydney Rabbitohs and the NSWRL joined forces to showcase Rugby League and the way the game can bring harmony into the community in May 2012 with the U17s ATP Redfern 9s competition at Redfern Park. NRL players including Chris McQueen, James Roberts and Nathan Peats were there to support more than 200 junior players competing in heritage-based sides including Indigenous, Maori, Samoan, Fijian and Middle Eastern.
The NSW Young Achievers won the grand final against the Mediterranean team and there was plenty of entertainment off the field too with the teams entertaining the crowd with traditional war dances and cultural performances.
The U17s ATP Redfern 9s really brought the community together. It brought together many players from different backgrounds to celebrate a sense of unity and inclusion through Rugby.
Indigenous Youth Project
Indigenous students of Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview and the non-indigenous students from the Year 11 and 12 Aboriginal Studies classes visited the Suttons's South Sydney High Performance Centre at Redfern Oval as part of a project focusing on the importance of physical activity for the Indigenous Youth of Redfern.
AIME National Hoodie Day
The Rabbitohs footy team were kitted out in blue hoodies in July 2011 in recognition of AIME National Hoodie Day - the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. AIME delivers a dynamic mentoring program that links mainly non-Indigenous university students one-on-one with Indigenous high school students. The ultimate goal is to see all participating kids finishing school at the same rate as every Australian child.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Teachers’ Aide Program
Our entire NRL Squad are involved in the delivery of the Teacher’s Aide program which will begin early Term 1, 2013. The schools currently involved in the program are: La Perouse Primary School, Alexandria Park Community School, Green Square School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo. All members of the NRL squad are split up into groups and schools are visited weekly, with players attending their designated school on a rolling roster.
Each group has a team captain who is responsible for managing the group in coordination with the South’s Cares Programs Coordinator. The captain liaises with players, the Souths Cares Programs Coordinator and with school staff, to ensure that the sessions run smoothly and student engagement is maximised.
An achievement program has been established to recognise and reward positive behaviour and successful learning outcomes for the students. This reward program was initiated by our members and provides students with a “Bunny Buddy” pack which includes a Rabbitohs back pack, poster, cap and a child’s membership to all home games at ANZ Stadium.
The Teachers’ Aide program is assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure relevant outcomes are achieved. Reviews conducted by Regional Directors of the Department of Education and Training have shown strong and positive feedback from school principals, staff, community elders, parents and pupils. There has also been marked improvement in Numeracy and Literacy levels within these schools as displayed by the recent National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results.
The players are happy to build and maintain relationships with their allocated schools and they provide positive feedback for the program, acknowledging their power to engage students and the positive change that can come from this.
Healthy and Active Lifestyle program
With assistance from the Indigenous All Stars Game, Souths Cares is in partnership with Life Education to roll out a holistic program for Years 5 & 6 students in the South Sydney catchment area. This program combines the NRL initiative, ‘Eat Well, Play Well, Stay Well’ along with a range of Life Education programs, to offer the students a fun educational excursion outside of the school environment. Where possible, South Sydney players will contribute and share their own healthy lifestyle choices with the students. Sessions are held at the Souths Cares Classroom located in the Sydney Corporate Park in Alexandria.
Souths Cares identified a growing need amongst students in the South Sydney corridor after consultation with schools staff. Many schools had discontinued their link with Life Education due to costs. Parents were not able to afford this type of extracurricular activity on top of growing sport and school commitments which placed a strain on family finances. Souths Cares saw this as a further opportunity to engage with our community while providing students with a unique educational experience that can form the basis of a long-term relationship between participating schools and Souths Cares.
This program has been offered to over 35 primary schools in the South Sydney region. In 2011-2012, more than 1,600 students and teachers were able to take part in the program of which approximately 30% came from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. To complement these visits, teaching staff are given resources to continue the lessons and positive messages back at their respective school.
Indigenous Leadership Program - Schools to Work Transition program
“Nanga Mai Marri” (Dream Big)
This program focuses on Year 11 and 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island pupils and works alongside them to identify and develop their own education and employment outcomes. The program is underpinned by a greater understanding of culture as a way of building self esteem. Once this cultural base has been established, sessions will include employability skills training such as career exploration, resume building, goal setting, interview technique, grooming and etiquette. This will lead to either employment or continuing education outcomes through a range of corporate networks or education institutions with which Souths Cares has built strong relationships. The uniqueness of this program is that it will bring together students, parents, corporate partners, education institutions, community groups and Rabbitohs NRL players in collaboration to support students on their journey
The primary aim is to encourage and support students to stay at school and complete their HSC. Mentoring and a case management strategy are key components of the program and will continue well beyond the school gate. The Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) have provided the funding to support and resource this program. There are currently five high schools in the South Sydney region taking part in the program: Alexandria Park Community School, Matraville Sports High School, Tempe High School, South Sydney High School and Marist Pagewood.
MEET THE PLAYERS
Q & A with Dave Tyrell
Rabbitohs player Dave Tyrell is an avid supporter of the Souths Cares Teachers Program and loves working with the children in the community. Read the Q & A here to find out more.
Nathan Merritt profiles Redfern “ATP has also got right behind Souths Cares and the stuff we do in schools with the Teachers’ Aide program... they have been really supportive of the Club and the community around here,” says Rabbitohs player Nathan Merritt.
Nathan profiles Redfern area in a segment aired on Fox Sports by journalist Mel Farrell, click the play button below.
Australian Technology Park is pleased to continue its support of Souths Cares vital programs to help support the Redfern-Waterloo community.
For more information on South Cares visit the official website here.