BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the West Coast Eagles today celebrate year four of a landmark A$2 million partnership providing educational and social assistance to youth of regional Western Australia.
Run jointly between BHP Billiton Iron Ore, the West Coast Eagles, Swan Districts Football Club and the Education Department of Western Australia, the program includes at its centre a further commitment to the Kicking Goals program, a unique combination of sports-based initiatives helping Pilbara communities to achieve better educational and employment outcomes.
Kicking Goals is the largest regionally-based AFL mentoring program and the first of its kind in Australia. Based on its success, the FY2009 program will now be extended to Newman High School with an outreach program to several of the indigenous communities across the Pilbara.
Other valuable components of the partnership include:
BHP Billiton Iron Ore has also pledged to work with the West Coast Eagles to develop an indigenous talent program to support young up-and-coming indigenous footballers realise their dreams through mentoring and skills development.
BHP Billiton Iron Ore President Ian Ashby said the investment represented a commitment to education and the development of sustainable communities in the Pilbara.
“We are pleased to be building on an innovative partnership that is tackling the difficult issues and motivating young people to make the very best of the educational opportunities before them,” he said.
“We actively identify and support initiatives and partnerships that underpin the sustainability of our communities.”
West Coast Eagles Chief Executive Officer Trevor Nisbett is proud of the club’s involvement in Kicking Goals and values the opportunity to contribute to the regional community.
“Our partnership with BHP Billiton is extremely important to the club and it is wonderful to be able to continue this relationship,” Nisbett said.
“The players make the most of their visits to Port Hedland and Newman and appreciate the chance to give something back to the community."
Through the involvement of the three partners, education experts and the local community, Kicking Goals focuses on school retention rates and includes a range of targeted sporting and educational strategies to achieve quality education for each student.
The program is an endorsed school-based curriculum and students enrolled in the program must maintain a range of educational and behavior standards to continue their participation.
To gain an insight into the Kicking Goals program, please click here to view this video.
