A new partnership with BankSA Foundation has allowed the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup program to expand into the APY Lands. Image: Michael Sullivan.

THE Power Community Limited team have recently returned from taking the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup to Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands for the first time.

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup has gone on to be one of the most powerful and important programs facilitated by the Power Community Limited (PCL) arm, with an incredible 96% of students who take part in the program going onto complete their secondary education.

After a string of COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantine requirements, students in the APY Lands have struggled to return to their schooling, resulting in the school attendance rate dropping to just 66%.

A new partnership with BankSA Foundation allowed the program to expand into four communities at a critical time for the APY Lands, using football as the ultimate driver to re-engage students with their education.

The Santos Aboriginal Power Cup engages with thousands of students each year to provide more opportunities and more incentives to complete school. Image: Michael Sullivan.

Port Adelaide AFL players Jeremy Finlayson, Sam Powell-Pepper, Hugh Jackson, and Jed McEntee joined the PCL team for the weeklong trip which included delivering the program to five schools across the lands, attending and judging the Ernabella Dance Competition, supporting Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Education Committee (PYEC) with a round robin football carnival, and attending the SANFL APY Lands Grand Final between the Musgrave Suns will tackle the Indulkana Tigers.

Port Adelaide midfielder, Hugh Jackson spoke highly of the experience for both him and his fellow teammates.

“It was incredible to see Jez (Jeremy Finlayson) and Pep (Sam Powell-Pepper) on the lands, you could tell it meant so much to them” he said.

“The trip for me was an amazing experience, where I learnt so much.

“It was amazing to see the power of sport, and how passionate APY Lands people are about footy, and the Port Adelaide Football Club”.

Aboriginal Programs Manager Braedon Talbot said taking the program to the APY Lands was an incredibly important step forward for both the PCL team, and the students.

“After a tough couple of years where communities on the lands have battled with COVID lockdowns and quarantines, there was a real need to find ways to re-engage young people with their schooling” he said.

“We know how successful the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup program has been for over a decade, so it was incredible to be invited by the education department and PYEC to visit the lands, and to have an opportunity to play a part in seeing the students back in the classrooms and re-engaging with their education after a difficult few years”.

Jeremy Finlayson and Sam Powell-Pepper joined in returning to the APY Lands after two COVID-affected years. Image: Michael Sullivan.

“When delivering the program to the five schools across the lands, it was amazing to see the high level of engagement from the students, which is something as a group we’re incredibly proud of.

“We have every intention of continuing to take the program to the lands every year, as we continue to work towards expanding the program into more communities in the years to come.

“The opportunity to take the program to the APY Lands wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the BankSA Foundation, and we’re incredibly thankful for their support in helping us make a positive impact.”

The Santos Aboriginal Power Cup started in 2008 as a school engagement tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and in recent years has been directly linked with helping achieve the Closing the Gap target.