PORT ADELAIDE’s Community Youth Program will make a special visit to Whyalla in November, thanks to the support of Variety, the Children’s Charity.
The three-day visit will allow the program to engage with children who normally don’t have the opportunity, to share important messages around healthy lifestyles and respect, as well lessons on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) that link in with the South Australian School Curriculum.
Variety extended its original three-year partnership with the Port Adelaide and Adelaide Football Clubs for another three years, taking its total contribution to $600,000, allowing both clubs to continue to engage with children who need it most.
Established in 1999 by club legend Russell Ebert as the first education in school program administered by an AFL club, even in his absence as he deals with illness, the Community Youth Program (CYP) has this year been delivered to 8440 students so far with staff travelling 2490 kilometres in the process.
Because of the Variety funding, Port Adelaide’s not for profit community arm Power Community Limited was also able to visit an additional six schools across metropolitan Adelaide, including
Elizabeth Park Primary School, Noarlunga Downs Primary School, Craigmore South Primary School, Munno Para School, Elizabeth North Primary and Paralowie R-12 School.
This enabled the program to reach an additional 577 students in the classroom as well as 2,000 students in an assembly format.
CYP is delivered to students in years 4-7 across three visits by Port Adelaide Football Club players, staff and female athletes from a variety of sports.
In recent years the program has expanded to include a CYP Virtual Classroom and student E-Book along with teacher resources to expand on the in-class sessions.
Variety’s investment is about giving children in need the opportunity to overcome whatever hurdles they face to live life to the fullest.
The charity is also the naming rights partner for the bi-annual Showdowns and the Variety Showdown Shield, presented to the side that wins the Showdown.
