Cairns Hockey – Aspire to be Deadly $2 million funding boost announced

Entsch delivers $2 million funding boost to Cairns Hockey’s highly-successful ‘Aspire to be Deadly’ program

Friday, 10 May 2019

The Coalition Government will invest $2 million to improve the health, wellbeing and opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and women from remote communities in Far North Queensland.

The investment in Cairns Hockey, who operates the ‘Aspire to be Deadly’ project, will support young women to make positive life choices, and broaden their opportunities.

Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the investment will help the association expand their program to help more youngsters.

He said this investment in Cairns Hockey would also lead to further job opportunities for locals, including mentors.

“The ‘Aspire to be Deadly’ program is a unique opportunity for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and women to engage with indigenous ambassadors, providing mentoring support, as well as a connection to their own culture and traditions,” Mr Entsch said.

“Participants learn the importance and relationship between sports, fitness and nutrition including attending school and performance outcomes.

“Most importantly, participants are empowered with invaluable leadership skills and learn how to be a role model within their own families and communities.

“The program has helped changed the lives of many local indigenous girls and women in the Cairns region – and it is important we keep it running.”

Cairns Hockey Association president Dr Robert Pozzi welcomed the new investment and said Warren Entsch had embraced the association’s vision from the start.

“Warren’s continued support has enabled this increased funding which gives ‘Aspire to be Deadly’ the ability to expand the vision once again and allows us to deliver sustainable growth programs for the emerging leaders,” Dr Pozzi said.

“Cairns Hockey is very proud of its internationally recognised ‘Aspire to be Deadly’ program which advances opportunities for indigenous young women using hockey as the tool to drive positive social outcomes around education, well-being and leadership.

“The community collaborations remain the strength of this program with Cairns West State School and Tagai State College our key education partnerships.

“The pathways program is driven by young leaders Lisa Fatnowna and Jess Fatnowna supported through Cairns Hockey which has a current focus to create a Grade 7 and 8 supported transition program.”

Current Aspire to be Deadly Programs

https://2019.cairnshockey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ASPIRE-TO-BE-DEADLY-2019-2021.pdf

https://2019.cairnshockey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Aspire-Updated-Report-.pdf

Cairns Hockey Aspire to be Deadly Indigenous Hockey Programs has partnered with Commonwealth Government- Indigenous Advancement Strategy to deliver a series of programs to increase school attendance, to support leadership pathways and to highlight healthy lifestyle choices with the aim of increasing opportunities for indigenous young women to complete school and view future opportunities with increased self confidence and self worth.

Aspire to be Deadly uses the hockey programs through the LEARN WELL LIVE WELL LEAD WELL Program to develop strong life skills by participating and advancing through the hockey program and learning new skills, working together and teamwork, team work and problem solving and understanding how to address challenges without giving up or resorting to aggressive and unacceptable behaviour

This changes the current funding and the current funding plans identified through Aspire and as a result, there will be discussion with the Board and once the Board has given some direction, I will convene a meeting so we can all get together. This might take a few months – as it is complicated a little with the election and the government being in caretaker mode at present. It is however an acknowledgement that our current programs are recognized and are rated highly enough to be given this significant boost to enable us to grow and expand the program across all the identified regions.

Aspire to be Deadly will collaborate with

schools
hockey clubs and associations – state and national
local indigenous community elders
business and corporate support
all levels of government

Together Aspire to be Deadly will build upon the learnings and outcomes of previous programs and will be open to deliver innovative programs which are driven through

respect and recognition of culture
access to strong indigenous role models and Ambassadors
a spirit of reconciliation
focus on supporting education outcomes as a priority
supporting indigenous employment opportunities
pathways through remote and regional communities

Cairns Hockey has establishing an Advisory Group in 2019 to oversee this program and build capacity and link with participation club development sustaining programs to build this program into a leading national program with direct engagement across community.

Collaborations are the key to sustained success and Cairns Hockey Aspire to be Deadly acknowledge the following supporters for 2019