❓ The Minister for Sport and Recreation provides an update on the Southern Wheatbelt Sport and Recreation project, highlighting its aims to increase sport participation, address social issues including suicide prevention, and the involvement of various community partners. The project has achieved early success in engaging children in sport and providing mental health support.
AnsweredQoN 178Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOUTHERN
WHEATBELT SPORT AND RECREATION PROJECT
178. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
Can the minister inform the house of the progress made in
addressing social issues in my electorate through the Southern Wheatbelt Sport
and Recreation project?
WHEATBELT SPORT AND RECREATION PROJECT
178. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
Can the minister inform the house of the progress made in
addressing social issues in my electorate through the Southern Wheatbelt Sport
and Recreation project?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Central Wheatbelt, who is involved in
and understands the project, for the question. Members were just talking about
doing things in the country and wheatbelt areas that really make a difference,
and this is just another example of that.
Back in January 2012, I approved a grant of $310 000 from the
sports wagering account to the YMCA to coordinate the Southern Wheatbelt Sport
and Recreation project. Today I want to update the house on that project. This
project is a whole-of-community initiative aimed at increasing sport and
recreation activity and participation rates and skills but targeted at
particular groups in the towns of Narrogin, Wagin, Brookton, Pingelly and those
regions. This project resulted from a thorough community analysis. Intensive
community engagement occurred as a result of a move to address some of the
suicides particularly in, but not limited to, the indigenous community. This is
another example of how seriously we take suicide prevention. Yesterday, the
Premier met with the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation about its suicide
issues, and the Minister for Mental Health also has a program running in the
wheatbelt, which shows that we take this matter seriously.
The issues in the southern wheatbelt have required community
involvement. Local members know that some of these programs work really well
when the community takes ownership of them, which has been the case in this instance.
The YMCA and the Kaata–Koorliny Employment and Enterprise Development
Aboriginal Corporation—KEEDAC—which operates out of Narrogin,
coordinate this project. To date we have succeeded in achieving well-developed
partners with other sporting clubs in the area and support from community
organisations and local governments, which is the key to making this project
count and involving the kids. We have had leverage through our KidSport
program, which I often talk about. To date the YMCA and KEEDAC have referred
104 young children, 80 per cent of whom have not been previously registered
with sporting clubs, and YMCA–KEEDAC is the third highest referral
agency across the state in 2012 for KidSport. Kids are becoming involved and we
are trying to ensure they have good lives and social contacts to help minimise
the suicide risk. An example of this is the Friday night Beatball program that
attracts over 60 kids. Mental health forums have been held across Narrogin and
Wagin, and more are planned. Guest speakers have included people such as Heath
Black, a footballer who the youngsters really respond to, and a mental health
professional Charmaine Clarke. The project has also secured Lotterywest funding
to purchase a community bus, which is essential to get these kids to play
sport, and it has also established a reference group.
This project has started really well and it is really
encouraging to know we are already getting results, but we have a long way to
go. This is only the start and we will continue to focus on some of the key
areas identified, which are KidSport and the involvement of the local sporting
clubs, et cetera. This is a really good investment by government and it is the
great collaboration within the community sector that will make this program work.
It is only a small program but it is really making a difference, and I will
keep the house informed about it.
and understands the project, for the question. Members were just talking about
doing things in the country and wheatbelt areas that really make a difference,
and this is just another example of that.
Back in January 2012, I approved a grant of $310 000 from the
sports wagering account to the YMCA to coordinate the Southern Wheatbelt Sport
and Recreation project. Today I want to update the house on that project. This
project is a whole-of-community initiative aimed at increasing sport and
recreation activity and participation rates and skills but targeted at
particular groups in the towns of Narrogin, Wagin, Brookton, Pingelly and those
regions. This project resulted from a thorough community analysis. Intensive
community engagement occurred as a result of a move to address some of the
suicides particularly in, but not limited to, the indigenous community. This is
another example of how seriously we take suicide prevention. Yesterday, the
Premier met with the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation about its suicide
issues, and the Minister for Mental Health also has a program running in the
wheatbelt, which shows that we take this matter seriously.
The issues in the southern wheatbelt have required community
involvement. Local members know that some of these programs work really well
when the community takes ownership of them, which has been the case in this instance.
The YMCA and the Kaata–Koorliny Employment and Enterprise Development
Aboriginal Corporation—KEEDAC—which operates out of Narrogin,
coordinate this project. To date we have succeeded in achieving well-developed
partners with other sporting clubs in the area and support from community
organisations and local governments, which is the key to making this project
count and involving the kids. We have had leverage through our KidSport
program, which I often talk about. To date the YMCA and KEEDAC have referred
104 young children, 80 per cent of whom have not been previously registered
with sporting clubs, and YMCA–KEEDAC is the third highest referral
agency across the state in 2012 for KidSport. Kids are becoming involved and we
are trying to ensure they have good lives and social contacts to help minimise
the suicide risk. An example of this is the Friday night Beatball program that
attracts over 60 kids. Mental health forums have been held across Narrogin and
Wagin, and more are planned. Guest speakers have included people such as Heath
Black, a footballer who the youngsters really respond to, and a mental health
professional Charmaine Clarke. The project has also secured Lotterywest funding
to purchase a community bus, which is essential to get these kids to play
sport, and it has also established a reference group.
This project has started really well and it is really
encouraging to know we are already getting results, but we have a long way to
go. This is only the start and we will continue to focus on some of the key
areas identified, which are KidSport and the involvement of the local sporting
clubs, et cetera. This is a really good investment by government and it is the
great collaboration within the community sector that will make this program work.
It is only a small program but it is really making a difference, and I will
keep the house informed about it.
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