The Sporting Chance Program is supporting the delivery of 5 sport and recreation based strategies that encourage educational engagement for up to 6000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary and secondary school students. Some strategies may:

• provide inspiration, encouragement and support for students through role models and mentors,
• enhance students’ self-esteem and self-confidence as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people,
• help students develop life skills, for example in communication, leadership and goal-setting,
• encourage participation in sport and recreation activities for healthy and positive lifestyles, and
• strengthen school and community partnerships and cultural awareness.

Developed in collaboration with local schools, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and other relevant stakeholders, Education Engagement Strategies are tailored to meet the needs of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and support the overall program objective.

Administration

The program guidelines provide further information. Please refer to page 178 to 189 of the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 Program Guidelines 2009 to 2012.

• Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 Program Guidelines 2009 to 2012
  ( PDF 1.5MB | RTF 1.95MB)

Note: Funding has been fully committed to December 2012. 

Education Engagement Strategies

Up4it? Leadership Development Program, Role Models and Leaders Australia
Improving the educational outcomes for young Indigenous people and increasing school attendance is the key objective of the Up4it? Leadership Development Program. Sponsored by both the state government and private sectors, the project involves Indigenous and non-Indigenous sports role models conducting approximately 20 visits annually to WA remote and regional school communities.

Following the visits students participate in an attendance monitoring period. Up to 300 students (senior primary/secondary) achieving set attendance targets qualify for selection to participate in a three-day leadership camp in Perth that reinforces positive messages about: education and training; healthy lifestyles; sports and physical activity; and leadership and teamwork. In addition to focusing on school aged young people the program gives attention to the engagement of the local community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders.

ARMtour, NASCA, Northern Territory
The ARMtour (Athletes as Role Models) NT project is delivered by the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA). It aims to encourage the educational engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary and secondary students in Papunya, Hermannsburg, Yuelamu and Santa Teresa in the Northern Territory. The project uses sport and high profile athletes as role models to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in remote communities to stay in school, lead healthy lifestyles and make positive choices in life.

Bluearth Project, Bluearth Institute, Northern Territory
The Bluearth project operates in a number of primary schools in Alice Springs and Darwin. The aim of the project is to engage students and teachers through the provision of teacher professional learning, utilising a whole school/community approach to physical activity. Bluearth activities have been aligned with learning outcomes from the PE curriculum in the Northern Territory.

The Bluearth project also provides program participants with inspiration, encouragement and support for students through role models and mentors. The Bluearth project addresses a number of areas of student development, including: ability to focus on specific tasks; self confidence; cooperation; awareness of others;  a willingness to accept new challenges;  improving  behaviour/choices; and a desire to attend school.

Sport for Life, Stride Foundation Ltd, South Australia
The Sport for Life project utilises high profile sporting role models as mentors to deliver wellbeing workshops. The program links to school curriculum subjects in a number of areas, largely physical education and health. A range of topics are explored within these subjects including leadership, respect, teamwork, self esteem, responsibility and healthy lifestyle choices. Sport for life engages the local community through the involvement of local co-ordinators, teachers, families as well as local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations.

Country Rugby League of NSW Inc, NSW
Country Rugby League’s (CRL’s) project, Far West Development Strategy, aims to achieve the outcomes of the Sporting Chance Program using rugby league to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in their schooling.

The project comprises three components: the School Club Program (rugby skill development clinics, school-based competitions and sport/business related accredited courses); Elite Pathways Program for talented athletes and development of community based rugby league competitions.