The Yartapuulti Football Club is proud to announce the extension of its partnership with the South Australian Attorney-General’s Department, securing increased funding support for the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup over the next four years.
The renewed agreement will see the Attorney-General’s Department contribute more than $570,000 to the program across the next four years, strengthening one of South Australia’s most impactful education and community initiatives for young First Nations people.
Now in its 19th year, the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup uses football as a vehicle to engage First Nations secondary school students in education, leadership and cultural connection.
Students are required to maintain at least 80 per cent school attendance, and model positive behaviours, to participate in the annual carnival, which culminates in a grand final curtain raiser ahead of Yartapuulti’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round home game at Adelaide Oval.
The program is delivered in partnership with the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA), with staff, coordinators and teachers working closely alongside Yartapuulti’s not-for-profit arm to successfully deliver the program to almost 70 schools across the state, including throughout the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands.
Close to 600 students took part in the program this year, with the annual carnival taking place at Alberton Oval on Thursday and Friday ahead of the club’s clash against Carlton on Saturday night.
South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher said the program continued to create meaningful outcomes for young First Nations people across the state.
“It is amazing, I love coming out here every year,” Mr Maher said.
“It’s been going almost 20 years, and over that time, we’ve had 7,500 Aboriginal kids go through the Power Cup. They get to play great footy, but even more importantly, they do really well at school.
“Just last year, 94 per cent completed their SACE and were involved in the Aboriginal Power Cup. It’s an amazing thing, combining sport and education, and creating future Aboriginal leaders.”
Maher said the State Government was proud to continue its long-standing support of the program.
“I’m so proud that we’ve been able to partner with Port Adelaide and Santos as the South Australian Government,” he said.
“Particularly my department, the Attorney-General’s Department, we have been on board since the very start, and we’re increasing funding this year to make it over half a million dollars over the next four years.”
The additional funding is expected to expand the reach of the program, creating greater opportunities for students living in remote communities, including the APY Lands.
“It’s knowing what the opportunities are that don’t always present themselves, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities,” Maher said.
“Understanding what you can be, what you can do, and also the friendships you make. A lot of the kids here will have lifelong friends that they didn’t have before because of their involvement here.”
Port Adelaide Chief Executive Officer Matthew Richardson said the club was proud to continue working alongside the Attorney-General’s Department and Santos to empower young people through education and sport.
“We’re just really proud to be involved and play our role and use the power of sport to change people’s lives,” Richardson said.
“As the Attorney General said, 19 years this program has been running, over 7,500 First Nations kids have been involved in the program, and the only way that works is with partnerships.
“We play our role, but really importantly, the Attorney-General’s Department, Santos, and all of the other partners play a really important role in using the power of sport.
“Really it’s about education, it’s about providing kids with opportunities and empowering their future.”
Richardson said the club’s commitment to First Nations communities remained a core part of Port Adelaide’s identity.
“Port Adelaide Football Club’s been here for 156 years, and we’ve had some incredible First Nations talent over that period,” he said.
“It’s a really special couple of weeks to be able to go up to Darwin last week and play but also take the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup into the Northern Territory, but more important is the impact that we can have.
“Yes, it’s about high-performance sport, and we’re all about winning, but you look at days like today, where it’s the work that the club and our people do in the community.
“It is about using the power of sport, empowering kids in education, which then hopefully leads to future employment, and changing the trajectory of their lives.”
Port Adelaide AFLW player Gemma Houghton, who has been involved with the program delivering workshops in classrooms, said seeing the confidence and excitement of students firsthand was incredibly rewarding.
“It’s an amazing day today, it’s all about the kids,” Houghton said.
“Just being able to see firsthand, going to the classrooms, there’s some kids that have been so shy from the first session, and then you see them out here today playing free, running around, high fiving everyone.
“So just to be able to see it firsthand is really special.”
Houghton said football continued to play a powerful role in connecting young people and encouraging school engagement.
“It’s just the power of sport. It gets the kids engaged, and they’re able to complete all the tasks to be able to come down and perform,” she said.
“You’ll see them roaming around, the smiles on their faces, it’s really early, but they’re so excited to get out there.”
She also praised the club’s commitment to celebrating and supporting First Nations culture.
“The club just do it so well, and to be able to be involved in that and to play footy is just huge,” Houghton said.
“It’s really an honour to be able to not just represent our football club but our culture as well and see it on display here today.
“That can’t be done without the Attorney-General helping as well, and the support that we get from everyone else to make this program happen.”
