STUDENTS at Footscray City Primary School are using football as a means to bridge the cultural divide between children of different ethnic backgrounds.
The school is participating in the Australian Football League’s multi-cultural program Welcome to the AFL, which was launched in February.
Project co-ordinator Nick Hatzoglou said program organisers waited until the Commonwealth Games had concluded before they involved schools in the initiative.
“We’re working with eight schools in the western region. We’re targeting schools that have a high multi-cultural population,” Mr Hatzoglou said.
About 150 students from Footscray City Primary School are involved in the project, representing grades three to six.
They will take part in five lessons, which feature a mix of theoretical and practical football training over the next five weeks.
Mr Hatzoglou said students developed football skills as part of the project and had also been given free tickets to the Collingwood versus Western Bulldogs match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 May.
“Parents of the children, brothers and sisters and friends are also invited,” he said.
Project organisers will team the school participants with supporters of the game so that there can be made be welcomed at the MCG.
“This is a cultural building exercise,” Mr Hatzoglou said.
“All new arrivals should be welcomed into main stream Australian culture as quickly as possible.”
