As the AFL’s rapid development continues, so to will its role in addressing social problems in the community, notably youth homelessness. By Mark Bolton.
Think about this: about 100,000 people fit into the home of Australian Football, the MCG, the same number of Australians who are currently homeless, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics research. It’s a staggering number.
Of those 100,000 homeless people, the majority are under 24, the average age of an AFL player.
The homeless age breakdown is sobering. On any given night across the country, 10,000 children under the age of 12; 6745 families (consisting of 23,000 people); 36,173 people aged 12-24; 58,116 single people, and 6000
people aged 65 or over do not have a home to go to.
Disturbingly, information from the 2006 Australian Census showed the number of homeless people sleeping rough has increased significantly over the past five years, even though as a country we’ve enjoyed one of the longest periods of economic growth and prosperity on record.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Australian Football – especially via its key asset, the game’s elite players – has long played a vital community role, and we believe it can play a major role in the short, medium and long term in addressing youth homelessness, one of this country’s most important social issues.
In Australia, the Federal Government has declared its full commitment to resolving homelessness, with a report outlining the first phase of a 10-year plan due for release next month.
Australian Football is also responding. Ladder, a joint project of the AFL Players’ Association and the AFL Foundation, has been created to help tackle youth homelessness at a national level.
By harnessing the resources, passion and commitment of both the elite game’s administration and its players, Ladder will help address social problem by offering young people with histories of homelessness integrated accommodation and support to improve their lives.
Ladder will offer young homeless people accommodation, housing support and an opportunity network, with AFL players providing mentoring and support.
Those of us involved with Ladder believe it can harness the significant media profile of the AFL and its players to play an advocacy role around the broader issue of homelessness.
People tend to think these projects are done for a photo opportunity, but most of the players involved in community projects – and there are a lot – don’t tend to advertise it. That’s one of the strengths of what we’re doing. We’ve got guys wanting to be involved, from construction through to running programs for kids. Chiefly, their involvement will be on a mentoring level.
Importantly, Ladder recognises it is a new player in the provision of community-based services and is committed to providing a professional and credible service, in concert with established service providers.
Working with the Victorian Government (Office of Housing), Ladder is looking at a number of sites that could provide a short or long-term home for Ladder Victoria, with the possibility of launching later this year.
The proposed sites are close to Melbourne’s CBD to maximise access to educational and work experience opportunities for residents.
Ladder and the South Australian Government (Department of Families and Communities) are negotiating for a site to launch the South Australian part of the project early next year, with plans for further expansion across the country.
In a significant boost, players involved in the recent Australian Football Hall of Fame Tribute match donated $100,000 to Ladder, a tremendous gesture.
Players understand and appreciate the benefits and privileges that come with being involved at the elite level, but as a group, they’re also becoming more aware of their responsibility to give back to the community.
They are genuinely committed to doing their bit, as is the industry as a whole.
Ladder, we hope, is merely the start of a movement that will eventually see our players become as well known for their off-field contributions to community causes as they are for their on-field deeds.
It might sound fanciful, but they know they are as well placed as anyone in the community to do it.
• Mark Bolton played 124 matches for Essendon from 1998-2007. He now works as general mananger of the Ladder Program.
150years.com.au want you to take part in the ultimate ideas forum by submitting your views on where we are and where we want to be as a sporting code. And also how we can get there. Visit the 150 Years Ultimate Footy Ideas Forum to participate.
