Schools involved in the Be All In program successfully graduated recently and celebrated at Western Sydney University Bankstown Campus.
Students as well as Bulldogs players from the NRL Squad were on hand to receive graduation certificates as well as a full season family membership for completing 90% attendance of the program.
Eight High Schools including Bankstown Girls High, Wiley Park Girls High, Belmore Boys, Sir Joseph Banks High, Liverpool Boys High, Moorebank High, Hoxton Park High and Liverpool Girls High participated in an eight week program involving educational sessions about resilience, valuing diversity and further education.
The sessions were delivered by local community organisations and Western Sydney University as well as a variety of sports designed to build cohesion and friendships.
The Be All In program is a partnership between The Bulldogs, Councils and Western Sydney University designed to build social cohesion across 3 local government areas, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool and Cumberland.
The programs objectives are:
· Targets students who have shown an interest in sport but aren’t confident to get involved
· Build confidence to potentially encourage further education
· Students from refugee backgrounds who could benefit from involvement in sport as a means of joining in conversations and activities with other students
· Increase girls participation in sport
· Students who could use sport as a way of keeping them focused in class
Bulldogs star and Be All In Ambassador Moses Mbye was in attendance to present the awards and family memberships
“The aim of the program is to feel accepted in Australian culture through sport,” Mbye said.
“Australia is such a diverse country in both people and sport.
“For me, I get satisfaction out of seeing kids from all different backgrounds, and all different walks of life, some less beneficial than others, grow and participate and to simply enjoy themselves.”
The Be All In program will be delivered again in Term1, 2017 working with Auburn Girls High, Granville Boys High, Chester Hill High and Granville South High.
