THE Port Adelaide Football Club has proven the benefits of sport to international relations and it now wants to use its standing in the Australian sporting landscape to help international students feel more comfortable in Adelaide.

On Wednesday, the club launched its new International Student Program which is all about creating a safe community which provides a range of services for students, including legal advice and internships.

Port Adelaide’s General Manager of China Engagement Andrew Hunter said the new program would be providing simpler access to essential services, enrich the lives of the international students through sport, and provide internship opportunities to expand the potential of those students after they graduate.

“This is a program designed to build a community of care around international students,” Mr Hunter said.

“We believe sport, with its centrality to Australian society, can be central to this community of care.

“Our club is now heavily invested in this space by supporting two important transitions in the life of a student – from high school graduation to university life in Australia, and from university graduation to working life.”

Part of the program will see 50 international students invited to Port Adelaide’s AFL games to take part in the Footy Buddy Program – an initiative launched in 2018 where volunteers spend time with students at games to explain what is happening.

They will also have easier access to a range of internships through a network of partner companies, such as health insurance (BUPA), student accommodation (Urbanest) and retail (Terry White Chemmart Rundle Mall), and have the opportunity to fully experience Australia’s landscape and wildlife through Groovy Grape Tours.

“Sometimes it is as simple as have a trusted place where they can access services or experience new things. We are looking to build a community of support for the students that transcends life’s practical demands, as well as its opportunities to explore, create and enjoy.

“We will assist incoming students transition to Australia, enrich their experience whilst studying here, and then help them transition into the workforce through our internship program.”

Port Adelaide is preparing to play its third AFL game for premiership points in Shanghai in June, this time against St Kilda after playing Gold Coast in 2017 and 2018.

Port Adelaide is now involved in education-related programs in both China and Australia. In China, its Power Footy program encourages healthy lifestyles and cultural understanding. It has partnerships with the Jincheng Group and The University of Adelaide, which encourage Chinese students to study in Australia.

With Power Footy starting to pay dividends, the club identified the need for increased support for those students who do come to Australia to study, hence its decision to launch the International Student Program. The International Student Program is its latest contribution to this important sector, and was launched on Wednesday afternoon at Urbanest on North Terrace in the Adelaide CBD.