Play Our Way with Creating Chances
Creating Chances are excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the Australian Government’s Play Our Way program to address participation barriers through safe, inclusive and sustainable programs that engage women and girls in sport and physical activity.
The initiative will see Creating Chances receive and apply more than $400,000 over 3 years to create greater opportunities for women and girls to access, participate in and remain involved in sport and physical activity.
Creating Chances will deliver a transformational Football United sports program – Girls United – enabling young women and girls from metro and regional areas of NSW to realise their potential through sports participation, coaching and leadership opportunities, and access to quality coaching, resources and role models.
Our high impact, values-based Football United program is designed to increase resilience, self-confidence and provide a sense of belonging. Participants will be from multicultural communities including those with refugee experiences, and from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities.
This project will involve working collaboratively with existing partners in each region, including Migrant Resource Centres, schools, Intensive English Centres and Multicultural and Local Health Districts. Each location will see football-focused sessions across 20 weeks of programming, underpinned by social & emotional learning, coach education and the delivery of football sessions to local primary school students.
A standout program has just launched in Dareton, where 15 student-coaches from Coomealla High School have kicked-off their journey under the guidance of the Girls United program Head Coach, Halima Elsayed. Through football-based life skills sessions, the students build skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
“Overall it was an amazing experience, especially because most of these students have been part of Creating Chances pathway programs since they were in primary school. Seeing how the girls have grown in terms of their interpersonal skills has been amazing to see over the last few years. I learnt so much from these girls during the program and it was great to see what experiences and skills each of the girls brought to the table.”
Creating Chances COO Assmaah Helal highlighted the importance of female leadership and positive role models in the community when using football as a tool for empowerment and inclusion.
“Creating Chances the importance of an inclusive and safe workplace for women, as well as creating safe spaces and inclusion for participants in our program. Females represent 57% of all staff in Creating Chances; 65% of our directors are female and 60% female in leadership and management positions” said Helal.
“This opportunity to support our young women to achieve a measurable and lasting impact in their communities is incredible. We would like to extend our thanks to the Australian Government and Hon. Anika Wells MP, Minister for Sport, for their advocacy and support".
The program kicked off in February.
For more information about our pathway programs click here.
