Community partnership delivers for young in South Western Sydney

This article appears in the June 2010 edition of Sportshorts.

A partnership between Aboriginal elders, Sport and Recreation and other State and community organisations yields health and fitness dividends for children and youth in Sydney’s south west.

When a group of Campbelltown elders identified that limited access to physical and recreational opportunities was having a profound, negative impact on the area’s young people, they looked to a community partnership for a solution.   Lack of transport and money was excluding many young people from the suburbs of Airds, Bradbury, Rosemeadow and Ambarvale from physical and recreational activities.  Too often they found themselves bored and at a loose end.

Worried about the future of these young people, the elders sought community partners to help develop a fitness program at a local leisure centre.  The Airds Fitness Group partnership with community organisations UnitingCare Burnside and The Junction Works, and NSW government agencies Sport and Recreation and Housing NSW, caters for 6 to 25 year olds.

“From the very first session it was apparent that it wasn’t just the young people 15 and up who needed these opportunities,” said Birgitte Lund from Sport and Recreation. “Their much younger brothers and sisters were also coming along and looking for something to do.”

To meet the needs of the younger children, the program expanded with games and sports for six to 13 year olds.  Sport and Recreation appointed a young, local Aboriginal youth work student as the coach.

“In the past nine months, each of the community partners has brought particular strengths to the project,” said Ms Lund.  “For example, the local Aboriginal elders and community members provide volunteer mentors who are key to successfully engaging the young people.

“UnitingCare Burnside provides a youth worker to coordinate weekly administration and drive a bus to collect and drop off participants around the area.  The Junction Works also provides a community worker, mentor and bus driver.

“Housing NSW is the major funder of the project.  Their Community Change Maker also assists with the program and mentoring.

“Our role at Sport and Recreation is to link non-Government agencies, coordinate funding and activities and employ the fitness instructor.”

Ms Lund said the program has been so successful it is now seeking larger buses to expand and respond to demand from young people wanting to get involved.

“Weekly attendance has grown to 35 young people,” she said.  “Ninety-five per cent of participants are Aboriginal. Boxing is extremely popular with the under 13’s, over 13’s and a girls group now involved in boxing for fitness.”