We’re inviting registrations for our 2024 ARA First Nations Academy program, which commences on October 28.

The program runs in five centres along the New South Wales including Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Central Coast, Sydney, and Shellharbour. Participants take part in weekly training sessions, cultural education sessions, and mental health workshops.

The program was first launched in 2022, providing opportunities for First Nations boys and girls aged between 11 and 18 years old to engage in sport, while supporting culture and community.

So far, the ARA First Nations Foundations program has reached 400 participants with 55 of them advancing to the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

Here’s what a parent of participants had to say on the back of last year’s program:

“You can’t see it in the boardroom meetings or for that matter on the football field, but by looking through the eyes of children participating, it’s clearly evident that what they are hearing, seeing, and getting the experience, is something more than just an opportunity to play a game.

It is operating at a far more deeper and more meaningful level .. the children are being embraced into a creative and caring environment of warmth and respect, regardless of ability or background.”

To find out more, click here.