What is the AFL Multicultural Football Program?
A partnership between the Australian Football League, AFL Victoria, Victorian Government and the Federal Governement through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to provide opportunities to engage people from diverse cultural backgrounds to broaden both participation and fan base in Australian Football.
Why does the AFL support the Multicultural Program?
Australian Football has a unique capacity to capture the hearts and minds of people of all walks of life. The AFL places emphasis on the program identifying that newly arrived immigrants and refugees are placed at a great social disadvantage when they first migrate to Australia.
What does the AFL aim to achieve from the Multicultural Program?
We hope our program will combat this level of isolation, encouraging young immigrants to become involved in Australian football. The AFL Multicultural Program will serve as the glue that brings these communities and Australian mainstream society together.
How has the AFL drawn awareness to the Multicultural Program?
St. Kilda v the Western Bulldogs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday 3rd July 2005 marks the inaugural event as part of the Multicultural Program. A number of families from Victoria’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities attended their first game as part of the AFL’s Family Weekend Round of matches.
What cultural and linguistically diverse communities have, so far been drawn to the AFL’s Multicultural Program?
Communities from the Western English Language School, Blackburn English Language School, Jesuit Social Services, Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning (SAIL) Program and Spring Vally Primary School. Additionally approximately 450 people from Libyan, Sudanese, Somalian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Kenyan, Eritrean and Ethiopian.
One of the wonderful outcomes was seeing regular football fans who have grown up with footy and love the game, pass on their knowledge to some of Victoria’s newly arrived communities. It was terrific to see so many excited people support the concept and come along to experience what for many of them is an unfamiliar game.
