TUGGERANONG Valley Australian Football Club is the first sporting club in the ACT to be approved to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Program to young adults between 14 and 24 years of age.
The award is a global, youth-development program, empowering young Australians to explore their full potential regardless of their location or circumstance.
Curtis Hibberson, the award’s operations officer in the ACT, says: “By partnering with TVAFC we are increasing access to the award, ensuring all young people in the ACT can explore their full potential and find their purpose, passion and place in the world, regardless of their location or circumstance.
“Furthermore, the delivery of the award through a local sporting club such as TVAFC creates a great link between the physical recreation section of the award, the voluntary service (volunteering) section and sporting activities already undertaken by the award participants belonging to the club’’.
He says that through the award young people have fun, make friends, improve their self-esteem and build confidence. They gain essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication and drive, enhancing CVs for university and job applications
Inaugural member and club president Leo Lahey says: “TVAFC is more than just a club, but a place where our players and their families can come together. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a huge step forward to embedding ourselves as a part of this amazing community.
“The award will allow the valley youth to be a part of a community-focused football club whose values are aligned with that of the award.”
The club was founded as Eastlake/Woden Football Club in 1968, ostensibly by employees of the then Department of Supply, which had been moved to Canberra from Melbourne in the late ’60s.
Because the vast majority of these people had no family in Canberra, a group of the men decided to play Australian Rules Football as a means of staying together and building friendships for their wives and families.
More at dukeofed.com.au or email [email protected]
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