This week, we’re in the running to win an international sporting award for a number of our ground-breaking community programs.
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) is a finalist at the Beyond Sport Awards in London in the prestigious international ‘Governing Body of the Year Award’ category, with the award winners to be announced tomorrow morning, Thursday July 25 Australian time.
We’re being recognised for our life-changing education and health programs, our commitment to helping Indigenous communities and for providing a national stage for practical reconciliation.
Learn Earn Legend! Ambassador Preston Campbell, will be representing Rugby League players at the awards presentation, and will join international sporting stars and officials from around the world at the event.
The other finalists in our category are the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada (CGC) and Premiership Rugby (UK).
Preston, a winner of Rugby League’s Ken Stephen Medal for community service and the inspiration behind the All Stars concept, said:
“I have seen first-hand the difference these programs have made to people’s lives and to have the game’s work recognised on a world stage speaks volumes for what we are achieving in Rugby League.”
The projects featured in our award nomination include:
Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars: Recognised as one of this country’s most powerful examples of practical reconciliation, the match between the NRL All Stars and Indigenous All Stars generates $1.5 million for community projects across the game, with a focus on assisting Indigenous communities.
Learn Earn Legend! This program encourages Indigenous youth to stay at school (Learn), get a job (Earn) and be a legend for themselves, their family and their community (Legend).
More than 11,000 Indigenous youth have benefited from Learn Earn Legend! initiatives, including School to Work programs, the State of Origin Job Experience, All Stars Youth Summit and numerous NRL club-based programs.
Rugby League Reads: This uses Rugby League as a vehicle to engage students in reading by providing free Rugby League-orientated educational resources for students and teachers in schools and role modelling male sport stars as readers.
OneSight-One Community: Promoting the belief that clear vision is a basic right, not a luxury, this program targets Indigenous students in communities with restricted access to basic eye care services. Through the program 622 students have been screened to date and it will assist a further 1200 students by the end of 2012. Students who attend the screening are then rotated through Rugby League skills clinics with One Community Ambassadors who deliver positive messages about eye care and general health.
Tackling Violence Program: Supported by the NSW Government, this program aims to educate boys and men to reduce the incidence of violence against women and to inspire them to be role models in their communities.
Beyond Sport is a global organisation that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport to create positive social change across the world.
For more details about Beyond Sport, click here www.beyondsport.org
For more details about Rugby League’s community programs, click here www.rloc.com.au