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Sounds like a great initiative!
Wondering why Knuckles has such a big smile though.... http://www.rugby.com.au/aru/photo.as...0§ion=9628
ARU and RYF host disadvantaged Sydney kids
January 24, 2007 - 3:25pm
Story by: ARU
ARU Headquarters in St.Leonards played host to a special visit by youths from one of Sydney's most disadvantaged communities today as part of the Rugby Youth Foundation's 'Rugby in the Park' initiative.
Seven High School students from the Airds Housing Estate, located near Campbelltown in the South West of Sydney, were given a tour of the ARU as part of an excursion coordinated by the Rugby Youth Foundation (RYF).
The seven students are volunteers for the Rugby Youth Foundation's 'Rugby in the Park' program and have become mentors and coaches to the younger participants.
'Rugby in the Park' was devised in the wake of the Macquarie Fields riots and aims to address the gap between in and out of school activities for youth in low-income communities through Rugby.
The Airds community has demographics similar to that of Macquarie Fields - with an overall unemployment rate of 30% and the highest proportion of youth unemployment in the region at 41%.
Chairman of the Rugby Youth Foundation, Mike Brown, said that children and youth of disadvantaged communities were developing self-confidence and life skills through the 'Rugby in the Park' program.
“Rugby in the Park gives kids from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to experience what many of us, Rugby buffs take for granted - the opportunity to grow, flourish, learn, believe in themselves and others around them, finding out that they can succeed, visit new places, work hard and overcome hurdles to achieve what they want,” said Brown.
“Through Rugby, with its strong ethos and role models, kids are not only playing the game - they are seeing that they can offer something to their communities and that people care enough to support them to do that successfully,” he said.
Rugby Youth Foundation CEO Carrie Elton and Operations Manager Brett Gallagher led the students on their tour through Rugby headquarters, where the group was given the opportunity of a face-to-face meeting with Qantas Wallabies Coach John Connolly.
Connolly praised the efforts of the Rugby Youth Foundation, which continues to work with the schools and community to identify ways to provide ongoing support and growth opportunities for program participants.
“Providing this sort of program for children in these communities is priceless,” said Connolly.
“A lot of these kids are in danger of leaving school and are generally deprived of a lot of opportunities to participate in sport,” he added.
“Through rugby they will learn a lot of important skills for life as well as having something to keep them entertained after school.”
ARU Media Release
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